Jammu: The Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday claimed to have unearthed a land scam involving over 310 kanals of custodian land here which has been allegedly usurped by the land mafia in connivance with government officials, an official said.

A total of 10 FIRs were registered followed by searches at 12 locations throughout Jammu and its adjoining areas, a spokesperson of the anti-graft body said.

He said the ACB achieved success in unearthing the land scam in the Asarwan, Mishriwala, and Bhalwal areas of Jammu district. Another land scam involving 210 kanals of custodian land was unearthed over two months ago.

“Inputs were received that custodian land spread across thousands of kanals at Asarwan, Mishriwala, and Bhalwal Jammu, has been fraudulently grabbed by the land mafia in connivance with revenue and police officials. The revenue records were tampered and the land was sold to various people,” the spokesperson said.

He said a formal verification revealed that the power of attorney were obtained from various Pakistan-occupied Kashmir refugees by the conduits of land grabbers after they were allured on the basis of providing additional land and handing over money ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000.

Thereafter, insertions or additions regarding additional chunks of custodian lands were made in the revenue records by the officials of the Revenue and Custodian Departments, by sheer abuse of their official positions.

These plots were subsequently sold by the conduits and attorney holders to various people, including their own gang leaders and members, by resorting to fraudulent means, thereby causing a huge loss to the government, the spokesperson said.

The ACB has registered 10 formal cases for investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery, and fraud, he said.

Verification is still in progress to unearth the remaining usurped custodian land by the land mafia, he added.