Srinagar – The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case in opposition to a number of authorities officers and beneficiaries over alleged irregularities within the grant and subsequent modification of constructing permissions for a multi-storey industrial constructing within the flood basin and river-fringe space of Rajbagh right here, officers mentioned on Wednesday.
The FIR, registered as Case/FIR No. 10/2026 by ACB Srinagar, follows a Joint Shock Verify and subsequent verification into allegations that the constructing, recognized as “Developments” and positioned reverse Hatrick restaurant in Rajbagh, was constructed in violation of planning, constructing and flood-control laws.
In response to the ACB, the verification prima facie revealed alleged abuse of official place, legal conspiracy and facilitation of unauthorised building, in addition to encroachment of about 2.9 kanals of State/Kahcharai land.
The probe additionally allegedly discovered building over drainage infrastructure and throughout the prohibited river-fringe space of the Jhelum.
These named within the FIR embody the then Senior City Planner, Srinagar Growth Authority, Muneer Ahmad Khan; then Joint Commissioner Planning, Srinagar Municipal Company, R Okay Tutoo; then In-charge Assistant City Planner, SMC, Ulfat Jan; and beneficiaries Gulzar Ahmad Sheikh and his spouse, Parveena Akhter.
Different officers discovered to have a job within the alleged irregularities have additionally been proceeded in opposition to, the ACB mentioned.
The case has been registered beneath Part 5(1)(d) learn with Part 5(2) of the J&Okay Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt., 2006, and Sections 447-A, 468 and 120-B RPC, together with different relevant provisions.
The investigation has been entrusted to an authorised officer of ACB Srinagar.
In response to the verification report, a duplicate of which lies with the Kashmir Observer, SMC had initially issued constructing permissions Nos. 1052 dated January 18, 2006, and 724 dated September 20, 2006, in favour of Gulzar Sheikh, son of Habibullah Sheikh, a resident of Kanipora, Shopian, and his spouse, Parveena Akhter, presently residing at Sanat Nagar, Srinagar.
The permissions had been subsequently withdrawn via SMC Order No. 891 of 2006 dated November 4, 2006, on the bottom that the land had been notified for acquisition for building of a public park.
The withdrawal order was later quashed by the Jammu and Kashmir Excessive Courtroom on September 11, 2013.
Following the court docket order, the then Joint Commissioner Planning, SMC, restored the 2 constructing permissions via Order No. 02 of 2015 dated October 17, 2015.
The ACB, nevertheless, alleged that the beneficiaries didn’t begin building in accordance with the restored sanctioned plans and as a substitute sought modification of the permissions.
The modified permission, No. 80 of 2017 dated July 18, 2017, was subsequently issued by Tutoo, based on the verification.
The modification allegedly resulted in a considerable improve within the sanctioned plinth space from round 8,100 sq. toes to 10,260 sq. toes, whereas the permissible peak was elevated from 50 toes to 70 toes.
The ACB alleged that the adjustments had been made in violation of the Srinagar Grasp Plan 2000-2021 and relevant constructing bye-laws.
The verification additional discovered that necessary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from involved line departments had allegedly not been obtained earlier than the modified constructing permission was issued.
The then-in-charge Assistant City Planner, Ulfat Jan, allegedly advisable the modification involving the addition of the fourth and fifth flooring with out acquiring the requisite NOCs, following which the modified permission was permitted by the then Joint Commissioner Planning, the ACB alleged.
The probe additionally examined clearances referring to flood-control laws.
In response to the verification, the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Management Division, had issued a conditional clearance in 2005, vide communication No. 3396-97 dated October 13, 2005.
The clearance reportedly famous that the location was located close to the interior slope of the river physique and fell inside a flood-prone space, with situations and restrictions connected to the clearance.
Regardless of this, constructing permissions had been issued in 2006, the ACB alleged.
The verification additional famous that following the devastating floods of 2014, the then Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Management Division, Er Mir Javid Jaffer, had cancelled all beforehand issued NOCs via Round No. 366-406 dated October 28, 2014.
A subsequent report of the division, bearing No. CE/I&FCDK/10126-28 dated October 8, 2025, allegedly confirmed that no recent or subsequent NOC had been issued in respect of the topic survey numbers.
The ACB additionally examined the land-use classification of the property.
It alleged that Muneer Ahmad Khan, then Senior City Planner, SDA, had, via a communication dated April 15, 2005, projected the topic land as falling in Business Zone (C-30), regardless of the land allegedly forming a part of a water physique beneath the Srinagar Grasp Plan 2000-2021.
The bureau can also be analyzing the alleged encroachment of roughly 2.9 kanals of State/Kahcharai land and the development carried out over drainage infrastructure and throughout the river-fringe/flood-basin space.
The ACB mentioned the registration of the FIR adopted an in depth verification of the allegations and that the investigation is underway to ascertain the position and legal legal responsibility, if any, of the officers and beneficiaries involved.
The registration of an FIR doesn’t by itself set up guilt, which will probably be decided in accordance with legislation.
