CBI to probe defence land scam near Srinagar airport

The Central Bureau of Investigation has decided to initiate a probe against "unknown" officials of Defence Ministry and revenue personnel of Jammu and Kashmir government for alleged irregularities in the sale of land near the high-security Srinagar airport.

CBI sources said that the preliminary enquiry was registered last evening against officials of Directorate General of Defence Estates following a request from the Defence Ministry to probe the sanction of no objection certificate for sale of land to private persons around the airport, which is one of the strategic installations in the Kashmir Valley.

The sources said a team of the CBI would now examine all records of DGDE and revenue records of the state government.

Defence Minister A K Antony had recently informed Parliament that on receipt of complaint, a preliminary inquiry was conducted during which it was found that prima-facie there have been irregularities in the issuance of NOCs which may have wider implications.

During the preliminary probe of the Defence Ministry, it was found that more than 70 NOCs were issued by the defence estates department in Srinagar during the last four years.

These NOCs were issued to private parties to buy more than 200 acres of land near high-security military installations in Srinagar.

According to the probe report of the Defence Ministry, some of the land belonging to defence remains in the name of private persons or state government in revenue records which is a cause of concern as a few persons may take advantage... and enter into fraudulent sale/purchase transaction. DGDE looks after the land for training, ranges, depots, airfields, quartering, camping and offices for military activities.

Ministry of Defence owns large tracts of land of 17.53 lakh acres nearly, out of which approximately 1.57 lakh acres is situated within the 62 notified Cantonments and about 15.96 lakh acres is outside these Cantonments.