PATNA, Oct. 12 -- Circle officers (COs) and revenue officers (ROs) across the state have warned of agitation if the revenue and land reforms department fails to intervene and seek quashing of the FIR against Musahari CO Mahendra Shukla and RO Karun Karan. Both were arrested by Muzaffarpur police in connection with an alleged wrongful mutation of land. Police registered the case under Ahiyapur thana, alleging the officers settled mutation in favour of a wrong person in a dispute involving roughly 70 decimals of land valued at around Rs.15 crore. Shukla later filed an appeal before the deputy collector land reforms (DCLR) seeking cancellation of the mutation. A day after that appeal, the Muzaffarpur SSP ordered their arrest. The department had already suspended Shukla. The Bihar Revenue Service Association (BiRSA), which represents officers of the cadre posted as COs and ROs across the state's 534 revenue circles, has condemned the arrests as a misuse of police power against quasi-judicial functionaries. President Anand Kumar said legitimate remedies existed and the CO had already acknowledged the error by approaching the appellate authority. BiRSA general secretary Saurabh Kumar noted that officers have been working under pressure to clear years of pending mutation cases. "Such mistakes can take place. There are ways to correct things at the department level. Departmental proceedings could be initiated," he said, comparing the police action to punishing an officer for arresting a suspect later acquitted by a court. In a formal representation to the department secretary, BiRSA has demanded that the government move the competent court for quashing the FIR, conduct a high-level review of the arrests, issue a clear SOP for quasi-judicial revenue work, and ensure protection under the Judges (Protection) Act, 1985. The association has also sought departmental legal opinion on relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. BiRSA has given the department until Monday. If no concrete written initiative is taken, COs and ROs across Bihar will stop using their official dongles, effectively halting mutation, parimarjan plus and other digital revenue processes statewide. The association has copied the letter to the chief secretary, the minister and the chief minister, urging immediate intervention to avert disruption of land-record services....