Court Takes Strong Action Against Land Record Manipulation
In a significant development, an Additional District and Sessions Judge in Rawalpindi has ordered the Anti-Corruption Establishment to initiate legal proceedings against revenue officials accused of illegally changing possession records for approximately 840 kanal of ancestral land.
Judge Maqsood Ahmed Qureshi issued directives to the ACE Rawalpindi director to entertain complaints filed by Raja Muhammad Usman and five other local residents and take legal action against the nominated revenue officials.
Details of the Land Fraud Case
The court observed that prima facie evidence indicates a cognizable offense has been committed in the revenue estate of Timmer Ratial. The judge specifically ordered criminal action against Muhammad Ali, identified as the alleged land grabber, along with revenue officials Shahbaz Aslam and Amir Shahzad who were working at the Arazi Record Centre in Rawat.
According to case details, the accused Muhammad Ali had purchased 264 kanal and 8 marla of land in the disputed area in 2014, which consisted mostly of Shamlaat land. The complainants alleged that the accused, in collaboration with revenue officials, managed to incorporate land measuring 1069 kanal and 19 marla into the revenue records of mauza Timmer Ratial.
The excessive Shamlat land measuring 806 kanal and 14 marla was illegally incorporated into the records, the complainants maintained before the court.
Discovery and Failed Attempts for Resolution
The land ownership scandal came to light when one of the complainants visited the land record centre in Rawat and discovered the unauthorized changes in ownership and occupation records. The affected parties immediately filed a complaint with the assistant director land records regarding the alleged fraud but received no response.
Subsequently, they approached the district collector revenue seeking corrections in the land records, but the process remained ongoing without resolution, forcing them to seek judicial intervention.
The complainants further alleged that area patwari (revenue clerk), girdawar and other revenue officers misused their authority to illegally transfer the land to Muhammad Ali's name.
Conflicting Reports and Court's Final Observation
Interestingly, the report submitted by ACE in court noted that the complainants had failed to provide evidence explaining why they weren't shown as legal possessors of the land in official records from 2010 to 2016. The ACE had initially concluded its inquiry by observing that the matter needed to be taken up with revenue authorities.
However, the court made a crucial observation that the official land record from 2003 clearly showed that the complainants had been the legitimate owners and legal possessors of the shamlat land. The judge determined there was sufficient evidence to establish that a cognizable offense had been committed that required proper investigation and legal action.
This case highlights the ongoing issues in land record management and the vulnerability of ancestral property rights when revenue officials allegedly collaborate with private individuals to manipulate official documents.
