Srinagar, May 19:
In a major crackdown on property fraud, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the J&K Crime Branch on Tuesday carried out extensive searches in the Semsaan area of Budgam. The raids are connected to an alleged high-value land scam totaling nearly ₹93 lakh, where unsuspecting buyers were duped using forged documentation.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Executive Magistrates to locate incriminating material and gather evidence crucial to the ongoing probe.
The Anatomy of the Fraud
The case stems from FIR No. 17/2026 registered at Police Station EOW Kashmir under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The investigation names two primary accused:
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Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar (resident of Jawalpora, Budgam)
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Soom Nath Koul (resident of Bangalore North, Karnataka, and Janipur, Jammu)
According to senior investigators, the complainant was lured into purchasing five kanals of migrant land situated at Drusu in Pulwama, along with 300 standing trees in Bijbehara, Anantnag. The entire transaction was backed by completely fabricated agreements and false documentation.
How the Duo Pulled It Off
EOW’s initial probe exposed a well-planned conspiracy:
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Impersonation: Accused Soom Nath Koul allegedly posed as the authorized power of attorney holder for the actual landowners.
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The Accomplice: Co-accused Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar actively participated by acting as a witness during the fraudulent transactions to legitimize the deal.
Subsequent verification revealed that neither the land nor the trees belonged to the duo, proving that the setup was designed solely to cheat the buyer out of a massive sum of money.
Public Advisory: Stay Vigilant Against Land Scams
Following the operation, the Crime Branch stated that further investigation is in progress to uncover deeper linkages or other victims of this network.
Meanwhile, SSP EOW Srinagar, Abdul Waheed Shah, has issued a strong advisory urging the general public to verify land records rigorously before making financial commitments.
