Patwaris manhandle judge, official in Nowshera

NOWSHERA: A group of Patwaris manhandled a judge and Anti-Corruption Department official on Tuesday as the latter raided the Amangarh revenue office after receiving a complaint about alleged kickback, official sources said.

Assistant Director of the Anti-Corruption Department, Sabir Gul, told the media that Zar Wali Shah, son of Nooran Shah, a resident of Abakhel in Nowshera Kalaan, submitted a complaint in his office against a patwari ( land revenue official).

He said the complainant said that he had gone to a local patwari to get a land measuring 28 marla transferred in his name. “The patwari demanded Rs1,3800 from me for doing the needful. The compromised was reached at Rs100,000. And it was decided to give Rs30,000 as a first installment,” said Sabir Gul while quoting the complainant.

The official said District and Sessions Judge appointed Civil Judge Seemab Waheed Siddiqi for taking action.

He said a seven-member team under his leadership raided the office if the patwari Jauhar at tehsil office in Aman Garh. He said the team tried to frisk the patwari after the complainant, Zar Wali Shah, handed him the money.

The assistant director said other patwaris attacked the team and thrashed them. He said he and the judge were manhandled. “All the raiding team and Assistant Sub-Inspector Hidayat Shah and the complainant were taken hostage,” said Sabir Gul.

The official said patwaris, tehsildars and other staff members of the Revenue Department kept them hostage in the room with the help of their other associates.

Later, ASI Hidayat Shah of the Anti-Corruption Department, Nowshera, lodged a first information report at the Azakhel Police Station.

He said Civil Judge Seemab Waheed Siddiqui, Assistant Director (Crimes) and other officials of the Anti-Corruption Department, including Maqsood, raided the office of the Jauhar Ali patwari along with the trap agent, Zar Wali Shah.

The ASI said when the patwari Jauhar Ali was being searched to recover Rs30,000 which he had just received from the trap agent as a bribe to transfer the land, the patwari Jauhar Ali, Tehsildar Daud and Naib Tehsildar Zahid called out other pawaris and asked them to lock the raiding team and beat them up.

He alleged Amjad Ali, Saiful Malook, Imran, Tehsinullah, Jauhar Ali, Sajid, AYaz, Waqar, Tariq Raheem, Mushtaq Johar, Waqas, Sheri Dil, Hadayat, Ihtesham and others thrashed him and the trap agent.

Three officials Saiful Malook, Imran and Amjad were arrested. Police were making raids to arrest the other accused.