Kashmir Land Scam: Broker Riyaz Ahmad Bhat Dupes Multiple Homeowners with Fake Land Deals

Retired Fisheries Director Mufti Manzoor is among several homeowners who claim to have been duped by broker Riyaz Ahmad Bhat. Who allegedly sold them fake land deals in Kashmir. Manzoor, who lives in Australia, had bought a plot in 2012 but was shocked to find it had been fenced off and a house was being built on it.

An investigation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch found that Bhat had sold Manzoor the land. However, the sale was never completed due to a dispute over the ownership of the land.

Read More: Wildlife SOS CEO Kartick Satyanarayan linked to alleged elephant smuggling from Nepal

Manzoor's case is just one of several land scams that have been uncovered in Kashmir. With multiple homeowners claiming to have been duped by Bhat and other revenue officials. The investigation found that Bhat had sold multiple plots of land to different buyers.

With revenue officials manipulating land records to facilitate the fraud. In one case, a woman claimed to have purchased five kanals and four marlas of land for Rs 88.4 lakh, only to find out that the land had been sold to someone else.

According to investigators, Bhat had allegedly pulled the same trick on multiple homeowners, offering them fake land deals that ultimately fell through. The investigation also found that revenue officials had inserted false entries into land records. This allows Bhat to sell the same plots multiple times.

Also Read: CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Continued Presence Sparks Outrage from Congress, BJP Allegations of Collusion

Key figures involved in the land scam include:.

The investigation is ongoing, with police and revenue officials working to identify all those involved in the land scam. Manzoor has promised to take legal action against those responsible, saying "How is the government so lenient with him? He needs to be put behind bars for ruining people's lives."