Tehsildar on The Run as Crime Branch Targets Revenue Record Scam in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz, accused in a major corruption and fraud case involving manipulation of revenue records in Srinagar and Budgam, remains at large even as the Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch Kashmir has arrested four out of seven individuals allegedly involved in the scam.

A case under FIR No. 14/2025, registered on July 9 this year, charges the accused under sections 167, 420, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, read with section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act Svt. 2006. The investigation has revealed a deeply entrenched network of officials and private individuals who worked in tandem to carry out false mutations and fraudulent insertions in land revenue records, resulting in significant financial losses and distress for unsuspecting residents of the region.

Among those arrested are individuals alleged to have played key roles in the preparation and execution of fraudulent documents. They were taken into custody following a detailed investigation and are currently undergoing legal proceedings. According to officials, the accused operated in an organised manner, exploiting the weaknesses in the revenue system to their advantage.

The spotlight, however, remains firmly on Tehsildar Nusrat Aziz, daughter of Abdul Aziz Lone, a resident of Gurez currently residing in Mehjoor Nagar, Srinagar. Her anticipatory bail plea was recently cancelled by the Anti-Corruption Court in Srinagar, following which she absconded. Investigators say she is not only a key accused in the present case but is also named in four other FIRs, two registered with the Crime Branch Kashmir and two with the Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Authorities have also identified Ashiq Ali, the then Patwari of Balhama, and Shamima Akhter, wife of another accused, as absconding. Both are believed to be directly involved in the conspiracy and are currently evading arrest. A dedicated team has been deployed to trace and apprehend the absconders.

The Crime Branch has urged the public to assist with any credible information about the whereabouts of the accused, reiterating its commitment to bringing those responsible to justice. Officials described the case as part of a wider effort to clean up the revenue system and hold accountable those who misuse public office and legal records for personal gain.