EOW files chargesheet against influential female tehsildar, four others in high-profile Kashmir land scam

In Kashmir’s infamous and high-profile land fraud case, in which an influential female Tehsildar is alleged to be the mastermind, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch has filed a chargesheet before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar.

Five persons, including the influential female Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz and four other officials of the Revenue Department, have been named as accused.

According to reports, the Economic Offences Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet in FIR No. 08/2021 under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the RPC, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, against five accused persons, including four senior revenue officials.

The accused have been identified as Nusrat Aziz, daughter of Abdul Aziz Lone, then Tehsildar Settlement, Srinagar, resident of Gurez and presently residing at Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar; Shahbaz Bodha, son of Sher Ali Bodha, then Tehsildar South, Srinagar and presently posted as ACR, Pulwama, resident of Dooru, district Anantnag.

Other accused are Mohammad Yaseen Kalla, son of Ghulam Mohammad Kalla, then Patwari, Estate Balhama, and presently posted as OQ Channapora, resident of Shamaswari, Khankahi Moula near Gandhi College, Srinagar; Ashiq Ali, son of Ghulam Rasool Khan, then Patwari Settlement, Srinagar and presently posted as Patwari, Litter, Pulwama, permanent resident of Panner Jagir, Tral, and presently residing at Hawal, Srinagar; and Riyaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar.

The case originated from a complaint in which the complainants alleged that they had purchased two plots of land measuring 01 Kanal and 07 Marlas each, along with an additional 14½ Marlas, situated at Balhama, Srinagar, through registered sale deeds executed by accused Riyaz Ahmad Bhat. Possession of the land was duly handed over, and mutations bearing Nos. 121, 122 and 67 were lawfully attested in favour of the complainants.

During the investigation, it was revealed that the accused seller, in criminal conspiracy with the revenue officials, fraudulently manipulated official records and illegally cancelled the valid mutations, thereby dishonestly restoring ownership rights in favour of the seller. This enabled the resale of the same land to other parties, causing wrongful loss to the complainants and corresponding unlawful gain to the accused.

The investigation further established that basic mutations were attested in favour of land broker Riyaz Ahmad Bhat on pre-dated documents, at a time when the concerned officers and officials were not even posted within the jurisdiction of the said tehsil or estate.

Based on the evidence collected during the course of the investigation, including official records and documentary proof, sufficient material was found substantiating the commission of cognisable offences under the relevant provisions of law. Accordingly, the chargesheet has been filed before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, for judicial determination.

The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch Kashmir reiterated its firm commitment to combating corruption and safeguarding the lawful property rights of citizens.

Female Tehsildar facing multiple FIRs

Female Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz is also facing four other FIRs—two with the Crime Branch and two with the Anti-Corruption Bureau—under similar charges of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.

After evading arrest for a considerable period, the tainted Tehsildar was arrested in August this year after her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the court. In August, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Srinagar dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of absconding Tehsildar of Bijbhera, Nusrat Aziz, in connection with the high-profile land scam being probed by the EOW of the Crime Branch, Srinagar.

Earlier, on July 28, 2025, the Crime Branch arrested four persons linked to the scam, which involves fraudulent land mutations and manipulation of revenue records in Srinagar and Budgam districts. However, Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz—already facing multiple corruption cases—had remained on the run along with two other accused at that time.