STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu has registered a case against one Shahid Buch, officials and officers of JDA for constructing commercial flats without seeking mandatory permission from JDA in complete violation to the then prevailing building bye-laws.
According to ACB, a Joint surprise Check (JSC) was conducted into a complaint lodged by one Pritam Dass, son of Prem Chand, resident of Gandhi Nagar, Jammu alleging that one Shahid Buch, son of Mohd Amin Buch, resident of Brein Nishat, Srinagar had constructed commercial flats on land falling in Khasra No. 185 and 186 at Satwari after obtaining permission from BDO whereas aforesaid area falls under jurisdiction of Jammu Development Authority (JDA). During JSC, it also surfaced that Shahid Buch applied for and obtained permission to construct flats at Chatur Singh Garden by Sarpanch Halqa Panchyat, Satwari on December 4, 2014 and it was found that village Satwari at relevant point of time had been notified as local area of JDA vide SRO-44 dated February 2, 1971 and also in schedule-A of notification No. SRO-263 dated August 9, 2004. The probe conducted revealed that Shahid Buch succeeded in constructing commercial flats without seeking mandatory permission from JDA in complete violations to then prevailing ‘Building Bye-laws.’ JDA officials who were duty bound to take timely legal action to stop illegal construction in JDA notified area, maintained criminal silence and remained mute spectator till structure was erected and probe initiated by ACB. The notices under sections 7 (1) and 7 (3) of Building Operation Permission Act (BOPA) required to be issued at very inception of illegal construction were issued lately on August 24, 2015 and August 31, 2015 respectively providing ample opportunity the beneficiary for to constructing illegal commercial flats. The officers / officials of JDA, being hand in glove with beneficiary builder, willfully abused their official positions conferring undue benefit corresponding exchequer on him with to the state loss. The aforementioned acts of omissions and commissions on part of then JDA officers/officials, who remained instrumental in facilitating the construction of illegal commercial flats under the name and style ‘Charam Wood Estate’ and the beneficiary namely Shahid Buch, son of Mohd Amin Buch, resident of Brein Nishat, Srinagar constitute offences punishable under sections 5 (1) (d) read with section 5 (2) of J&K PC Act Svt 2006 and Section 120 of RPC, the Court observed.