Listen to this article:

Srinagar: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator who created a stir in the ongoing session of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly by alleging that Kashmiris were land grabbers was put on notice in 2021 for allegedly encroaching land in Jammu.

Vikram Randhawa, who won the 2024 assembly election from the Bahu assembly constituency, was served a notice by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) in 2021 for allegedly encroaching eight kanals of land (in khasra no 211) at Chak Ganeshu village in the Mandal tehsil of Jammu where a stone crusher plant has been set up.

A copy of the JDA notice, issued by a tehsildar-ranked officer on July 19, 2021, circulated on social media in the aftermath of the BJP legislator’s accusations against Kashmiris in the house.

Speaking with The Wire, Randhawa admitted to the existence of the JDA notice. However, he denied the allegations of encroachment that were amplified by senior Jammu-based advocate and activist Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed.

Randhawa said the notice was the result of a dispute over land demarcation by J&K’s revenue department at Chak Ganeshu village. “My crusher plant is in khasra 212 and the land in question is in khasra 211. I am not in possession of even one foot of the JDA land,” he claimed.

“I gave a legal reply to the JDA and they are satisfied. They have already........

© The Wire