Army Made To Allegedly Pay Rent For Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Land: Arun Jaitley

The army was allegedly cheated by revenue officials into paying rent for land parcels which were in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley told the house that nine such instances have come to light and investigation is on.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Jaitley said the CBI has already filed FIRs in two cases, while the State Vigilance Organisation registered an FIR in another.

He said remaining cases are under confidential verification by the CBI.

"There are all together 9 reported cases relating to alleged payment of rent for land in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Out of these cases, the State Vigilance Organisation has filed FIR in one case and CBI has filed FIR in two cases," he said.

As per details placed by the Defence Minister, a total of 265 Karnals and one Marla (local measurements) of land in village Khamba in Rajouri district is "under occupation" since April 1, 1972 and rental has been paid upto march 2003.

The state vigilance in its probe has found that documents were forged by the state revenue officials to show it was in India's possession though it was either under occupation of Pakistan or located in no man's land.

According to the details provided by Mr Jaitley, the second case involves a plot of land measuring 122 Karnals and 18 Marlas, also in Khamba village. The case is pending in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court after one of the suspects approached it in the wake of the CBI registering an FIR in January.

The CBI has also filed an FIR in another alleged cheating case involving a plot of 258 Karnals and 13 Marlas. This piece of land is also in Khamba village in Rajouri district.

In three other cases too, the land in question was in Khamba village, while two others were in Sarya village in Nowshera, also in Rajouri district.