Roshni act: Jammu and Kashmir govt preparing list of beneficiaries

On October 31, the administration decided to declare all the actions taken under the Jammu and Kashmir State Land (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, also known as the Roshni Act, under which 20 lakh kanals of land was to be transferred to existing occupants, as “null and void”, and has decided to retrieve the land within six months.

Srinagar: Following the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court, the Union Territory Administration has started compiling the details of Roshni Act beneficiaries which includes former ministers, politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen. The list will be made public soon.

"We are compiling the details of beneficiaries of the Roshni Act. So far data of over 15000 beneficiaries, including politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen, have been compiled. The list will be made public soon after verification from the concerned agencies," a senior official in J&K administration told ETV Bharat on the condition of anonymity.

He said, "Following the completion of the process government land worth crores of rupees will be recovered. Interestingly, out of the actual transfer of around 3,48,200 kanals of land under the Roshni Act, the major portion of over 3,40,100 kanals has been transferred free of cost as agricultural land. "

On October 31, the administration decided to declare all the actions taken under the Jammu and Kashmir State Land (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, also known as the Roshni Act, under which 20 lakh kanals of land was to be transferred to existing occupants, as “null and void”, and has decided to retrieve the land within six months.

Following which the court directed that if its directions are not complied with, the Secretary Revenue and the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir shall be held liable and proceeded against for Contempt of Court.

“It has further ordered that its judgment on the matter be placed before the Director CBI, who shall appoint teams of officers not below the ranks of Superintendents of Police assisted by other officers to conduct an in-depth inquiry in the matters which are the subject matter of this order. On conclusion of the inquiry, the CBI shall register case(s) in accordance with law against the person(s) found culpable, proceed with the investigation(s) as well as prosecution(s) thereof," the Court had said.

“The CBI shall also inquire into the continued encroachments on State lands; illegal change of ownership/use; grant of licences on encroached State lands; misuse of the land in violation of the permitted user; raising of illegal constructions; failure of the authorities to take action for these illegalities; fix the responsibility and culpability of the persons who were at the helm of affairs, who were duty-bound to and responsible for taking action; their failure to proceed in accordance with law against the illegalities and instead have permitted/ compounded the same, as also any other illegality which is revealed during the course of the enquiry wheresoever.”

According to the official, the administration has identified a former finance minister, a Congress leader and prominent hotelier among the Roshni beneficiaries in Srinagar.

Former finance minister Haseeb Drabu and his three relatives Shahzada Banoo, Ajaz Drabu, Iftikhar Drabu, Congress leader KK Amla, Rachna Amla, Veena Amla, Mushtaq Ahmad, former bureaucrat Muhammad Shafi Pandit and his wife Nighat Pandit, Syed Muzaffar Aga are among the beneficiaries of Roshni Act.

While in Jammu, National Conference (NC) leader Syed Akhoon, MY Khan, former minister Abdul Majid Wani, politician Aslam Goni, politician Haroon Choudhary, former minister Sajjad Kichloo have been named in the list.

Meanwhile, during a presser, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said," It is very unfortunate that key leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq Abdullah used their influence and power for land grabbing and appropriated government land."

• It is very unfortunate that key leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq Abdullah used their influence and power for land grabbing and appropriated government land. Interacted with the media today on this massive scam popularly known as Roshni Scam.https://t.co/0jqRlyNzV3

  — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 24, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  It is very unfortunate that key leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq Abdullah used their influence and power for land grabbing and appropriated government land. Interacted with the media today on this massive scam popularly known as Roshni Scam.https://t.co/0jqRlyNzV3

  — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 24, 2020

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  It is very unfortunate that key leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including Farooq Abdullah used their influence and power for land grabbing and appropriated government land. Interacted with the media today on this massive scam popularly known as Roshni Scam.https://t.co/0jqRlyNzV3

  — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) November 24, 2020

Slamming Farooq Abdullah, Prasad further said," Kashmir people should know the politics of the Kashmiri politicians. How the land can go for a beneficiary who is one of the reach politicians of the state? The Gupkar gang is going global! They want foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar gang also insults India’s tricolour."