BJP alleges Rs 1000 crore defence land scam in J&K

NEW DELHI: Alleging a Rs 1000 crore defence land scam in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP today accused the ruling National Conference leaders of shielding the "two land mafias" who, it said, had grabbed 200 acres of Air Force property in Srinagar's sensitive security zone.

In a letter to Defence Minister A K Antony, BJP Secretary Kirit Somaiya and others claimed that a fact finding team of the party had come across this land grab.

"200 acres of Air Force land near sensitive security zone in Srinagar have been grabbed by two land mafias in connivance with Revenue and Defence officials.... Till now 69 pieces of land of Srinagar airport area have been transferred to private citizens in the last couple of years which covers 200 acres," Somaiya said.

BJP has demanded cancellation of all land transfers and a CBI inquiry into the issue, including the role of revenue officials, defence personnel as well as politicians. It also wants the Defence Ministry and CAG to look into the matter.

Somaiya claimed that power of attorney for all the 69 pieces of property were with only two individuals- Riyaz Ahmed and A R Hanjoora. The land grabbers had managed to get forged NOCs. The defence officials have denied issuing any NOC for these properties.

Asked who all had connived with "land mafias" in these transactions, Somaiya said, "A director in the Defence Estates Department, R P Singh, has been involved.... National Conference leaders are trying to cover-up this scam. 69 NOCs were forged..."

Senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi alleged that the Revenue department in Jammu and Kashmir is held by the Congress and hence it is also responsible for this land scam.