Srinagar, Nov 7: Finding himself in a tight spot over alleged forest land grab, Minister for PHE and Flood Control Taj Mohiuddin on Wednesday submitted revenue documents related to the land in question to the Legislative Council chairman, on whose directions a house committee was constituted in the upper house to go into the matter.
Pertinently, Taj has already shot around three letters to Legislative Assembly Speaker Muhammad Akbar Lone and chairman Legislative Council Amrit Malhotra pleading for quashing inquiry against him.
Highly placed sources told Greater Kashmir that, in his latest communication, the Minister today enclosed land documents with the letter sent by him to LC chairman.
According to sources, Taj has submitted Intikhab Girdawari and a communication of Divisional Forest Officer for perusal of the chairman.
“These documents will help you in judging malafide intentions and personal enmity of Murtaza Khan, chairman of the house panel and Rafiq Shah, Panthers Party MLC,” Taj, according to sources, has written in his latest communication to LC chairman.
Pertinently, LC chairman has constituted a five-member House panel to go into the allegations against Taj.
The allegations against Taj were leveled by Panthers Party legislator Syed Rafiq Shah on October 11 in the Upper House. Shah had also displayed documents of revenue and forest departments in support of his claim. But Taj had termed these allegations baseless and had said that he would quit from council of ministers if the same were proved.
Following the instituting of probe, Taj has shot two letters to Speaker LA seeking his intervention in getting the inquiry quashed as well as seeking opinion of Advocate General over validity of the panel.
When contacted, Malhotra, who was in Srinagar, said that he has no information about the communication.
“If he (Taj) has sent any documents, I will submit the same to the House panel which is looking into the matter,” he said.
Taj, however, admitted that he has submitted documents to LC chairman in support of his claims that the said land is not forest land.
He added that Coalition government would look into whether the inquiry instituted against me is valid or not.
Meanwhile, sources told Greater Kashmir that Advocate General, M I Qadri is yet to go through the letter of Taj which was forwarded to him by Speaker for legal opinion. Taj had requested the Speaker to get legal opinion over institution of inquiry against him.
“He (Qadri) had to rush back to Srinagar in view of hearing of the case of Army chief in High Court, so he couldn’t give his opinion on the matter,” they said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 7 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST