'Feels like April Fool's joke': Aga Syed Ruhullah on land compensation case

Srinagar, April 13 (IANS) Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday denied any involvement in a land compensation case, terming it ‘April Fool’s joke’, adding that the allegations are ‘baseless and politically motivated’.

The case, connected to a two-decade-old land acquisition process in the Bemina-Durbal area, came to light through a chargesheet filed by Anti Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) that also names Ruhullah Mehdi among the alleged beneficiaries.

“I am the third in line of inheritance. I had no involvement in any negotiation or decision-making related to the land. I was neither summoned nor questioned by ACB or any government agency over the years. I came to know about the chargesheet the day it was filed, just like everyone else,” said Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi while addressing a press conference.

He reiterated that the land in question originally belonged to his grandfather, the late Agha Sahib and that compensation was awarded legally to all heirs, including his family.

He said that the land was acquired by the government in the early 2000s for the rehabilitation of Dal Lake dwellers, adding that the compensation was determined based on possession and agricultural usage, citing cabinet decisions and official surveys that legally justified the process.

“Thousands of kanals in that area were acquired and compensated similarly. If this is being projected as a multi-crore scam, then I invite the highest investigation. Bring in the ACB, or even the NIA, if needed. This feels like an April Fool’s joke, just delayed till April 13,” he said, adding that the move aims to suppress his outspoken criticism of the revocation of Article 370 and ongoing human rights issues in the region.

He said his share of compensation was just Rs 80,000, received nearly 20 years ago.

Expanding on the political backdrop, Ruhullah Mehdi accused the Union government of marginalising minorities and misusing legal institutions to stifle dissent.

“You cannot silence me with fabricated cases. If you want me to stop speaking, then restore Article 370, uphold minority rights, and return dignity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the firebrand MP from Kashmir Valley added.

He also spoke about non-communication from his party, the National Conference (NC), saying that nobody from the party leadership contacted him after the report about the ACB chargesheet against him became public.

--IANS

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