J&K bureaucrat accused in land scam gets 1-year extension

“Pursuant to the approval of the Central government conveyed vide No 26014/1/2019-AIS-II dated 30-06-2019, sanction in relaxation of All India Services (death-cum-retirement benefits) Rules 1958, is hereby accorded to the extension in favour of Shri Baseer Ahmad Khan, IAS (JK:2000) for a period of one year beyond the date of superannuation i.e 30-06-2019, as a special case, in public interest and without it being quoted as precedent case in future,” a government order read.

Khan is accused of illegal transfer of land to several influential people in Gulmarg. The case is pending before an anti-corruption court, and charges are yet to be framed. The First Additional District and Sessions Judge, Baramulla has reserved orders on framing of charges and the case has been fixed for July 6.

Government officials are tight-lipped on whether the government sought clearance from the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

“I have no idea regarding this case,” ACB director Anand Jain told The Indian Express.

A PIL challenging the extension to Khan has been also filed in the J&K High Court.

The petition seeks quashing of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) order that approved the extension in Khan’s service.

In March 2009, J&K government’s top anti-corruption body had registered a case against seven top bureaucrats for “misuse of official position for illegal transfer of state land” at Gulmarg to influential private parties.

The case against the government officials was registered after the intervention of the J&K High Court, which was hearing a PIL in the Gulmarg land scam.

The officers, according to the J&K State Vigilance Organisation, had violated the provisions of the Roshni Act which was introduced during the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led coalition government to give ownership rights of government land occupied by farmers across the state. The land transferred to private parties at Gulmarg, however, was earmarked for development of tourist infrastructure under master plan of Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA).

A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was slapped against seven officials, including Khan, for misuse of official position for illegal transfer of state land.

While the names of most of the accused were mentioned in the first chargesheet, the chargesheet against Khan was submitted in September 2013 after the Centre allowed his prosecution.

On September 23, 2013, Khan, then Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, was arrested by the State Vigilance Organisation and produced before the special anti-corruption judge, who released him on bail. The vigilance report had accused Khan of “willfully” ignoring the information passed to him pertaining to the case.

The service of Khan’s brother Muneer Ahmad Khan, who is serving as J&K’s Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), has also been extended by an year.

In March, Governor Satya Pal Malik had issued an order appointing Muneer Khan as State Information Commissioner.

The order said that Muneer Khan’s appointment as State Information Commissioner shall “take effect from the day he assumes charge of the post”.