New developments in case involving top bureaucrats and hoteliers
Division Bench had ruled that Baseer Khan cannot be allowed to occupy Divisional Commissioner post after facing serious allegations of corruption
Srinagar: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation titled ‘Sheikh Mohammad Shafi & Anr V/s Union of India and others’ wherein a fresh Miscellaneous Petition (MP No.3/2018) had been filed by the petitioners seeking directions to the Court of 1st Additional Sessions Judge Baramulla to expeditiously decide the matter on the question of framing of charges/discharge in the case titled State V/s Mehboob Iqbal & Ors (infamous Gulmarg land scam) sub-judice in the Court of 1st Additional District and Sessions Baramulla.
The Gulmarg land scam, registered in the year 2009 against high profile bureaucrats and top hoteliers of Kashmir Valley for grabbing the land of Gulmarg Development Authority by getting it regularized under Roshini Act situated at Tourist Resort Gulmarg and Challan in this case was presented on the intervention of the State High Court on September 25, 2012 and till date the matter is lingering on before the trial court on the question of framing of charge/discharge.
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The fresh Miscellaneous Petition (MP No.3/2018) came up for hearing before a Division Bench of the State High Court headed by Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed (since retired) on March 12, 2018 and the Division Bench after considering the submissions of Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioners had observed in the open court that this matter shall be dealt on the Administrative side.
Baseer Khan.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed submitted that the Division Bench on August 28, 2012 then headed by Chief Justice M.M. Kumar (since retired) had directed the SVO to file charge sheet against Mehboob Iqbal (IAS), the then Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir and others in case FIR No.8/2009 VOK within a period of 02 weeks.
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With regard to Baseer Ahmed Khan (IAS) the then Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, the Division Bench had directed the State Government to forward his papers for grant of prosecution sanction under Section 6 of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act to the DoPT Govt. of India.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed submitted that there are 19 accused in FIR No.8/2009 P/S VOK (infamous Gulmarg land scam) which includes the incumbent Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmed Khan (IAS) against whom the Division Bench had earlier ruled that being accused in Gulmarg land scam he cannot be allowed to occupy the coveted post of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar.
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The Division Bench had directed the State Government to post him on any other equivalent post but not on the prime position of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar in view of his facing serious allegations of corruption in FIR No.08/2009 P/S VOK.
Advocate S.S. Ahmed further submitted that despite facing serious allegations of corruption and abuse of official position Baseer Ahmed Khan has been serving as Divisional Commissioner Kashmir since July, 2016 and this shows his clout in the corridors of power. Advocate Ahmed further submitted that rest of the accused includes Former Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Mehboob Iqbal (IAS) and top hoteliers of Kashmir Valley.
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(With inputs from CNS)
