Srinagar, April 14 — Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday firmly denied any involvement in a land compensation case, calling the allegations against him “an April Fool’s joke” and dismissing them as “baseless and politically motivated.”
The case stems from a land acquisition process that took place over 20 years ago in the Bemina-Durbal area of Srinagar. The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) recently filed a chargesheet that named Ruhullah Mehdi as one of the alleged beneficiaries.
Addressing a press conference, Ruhullah said he was unaware of the charges until the day they were filed. “I am the third in line of inheritance. I had no role in the negotiations or decisions regarding the land,” he said. “I was never summoned or questioned by the ACB or any other government agency.”
He explained that the land originally belonged to his grandfather, the late Agha Sahib. The government acquired the land in the early 2000s to rehabilitate people displaced from Dal Lake. Ruhullah stated that the compensation was awarded to all legal heirs, including his family, based on official records and land use.
“The compensation was calculated based on land possession and agricultural usage. This was done through cabinet decisions and legal surveys,” he said. “Thousands of kanals were acquired and compensated in the same way. If this is being portrayed as a multi-crore scam, then I welcome a full investigation — even by the NIA if necessary.”
Ruhullah also revealed that his share of compensation amounted to only Rs 80,000, which he received nearly two decades ago.
He suggested that the allegations were timed to target him for his political views. “This case is being used to silence my criticism of the revocation of Article 370 and ongoing human rights violations in Kashmir,” he said. “You cannot silence me with fabricated cases. If the goal is to stop my voice, then restore Article 370, ensure minority rights, and bring dignity back to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The outspoken MP also expressed disappointment over the silence from his own party, the National Conference. “No one from the party leadership has reached out to me since the ACB chargesheet became public,” he added.
