SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has secured the conviction of five former storekeepers in a long-standing food grains misappropriation case related to the Pahalgam circle. In a separate development, the ACB has also filed a charge-sheet against the former Block Development Officer (BDO) of Kupwara and four others in connection with an alleged funds embezzlement case.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court, Anantnag, convicted Abdul Khaliq Shah, Gh Nabi Mir, Mohd Shafi Rather, Gh Hassan Hajam, and Muzaffar Ahmad Bichoo. These individuals, formerly serving as storekeepers in the Food and Supplies Department Kashmir, Pahalgam Circle, were found guilty of misappropriating food grains and empty bags. The period of the misappropriation spanned from April 1989 to September 1989.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the Deputy Director of the Food and Supplies Department, Srinagar, on November 2, 1989, reporting an embezzlement of ₹3,64,235.84. The FIR No. 09/1990 was registered at the Police Station VOK (now ACB) on June 7, 1990. Following an investigation, a charge-sheet was filed on September 9, 2003. On April 20, 2026, the court delivered its judgment after appreciating the evidence presented, convicting all five accused persons. The court has scheduled arguments on the quantum of punishment for April 24, 2026.
The ACB spokesperson stated that this conviction represents another achievement in the bureau’s sustained efforts to uphold integrity and accountability within public service.
In parallel, the ACB presented a charge-sheet before the court concerning a separate case involving the former BDO of Kupwara and four other individuals. This case stemmed from a complaint lodged on the ACB grievance portal on July 19, 2021, by Fayaz Ahmad of Halmatpora, Kupwara. The complainant alleged embezzlement of funds designated for developmental works under various schemes by officials of Block Kupwara.
The ACB’s investigation revealed that the accused public servants, identified as Abdul Majeed Ganie (then BDO Kupwara), Bashir Ahmad Mir (then Junior Assistant), and Sajad Ahmad Dar (then MISO/GRS), allegedly conspired with private beneficiaries Zakir Hussain Pir and Gowher Yaqoob Khan. It is alleged that they fraudulently siphoned off government funds by manipulating official records and fabricating electronic data. The implicated individuals are accused of generating and authenticating fraudulent Fund Transfer Orders (FTOs) to divert funds into unauthorized bank accounts, including those belonging to relatives and associates.
Further investigation uncovered alleged instances of double drawal of payments, fraudulent payments for non-existent works, and the illegal routing of labour payments through job card holders, followed by their misappropriation. The investigation also indicated that official records related to the works under scrutiny were deliberately destroyed or withheld, and crucial electronic evidence, including Digital Signature Certificates (DSCs), was not produced, suggesting an attempt to conceal the offense.
The accused public servants, by allegedly abusing their official positions, are said to have caused a wrongful loss to the state exchequer amounting to ₹4,86,170, with a corresponding unlawful gain to themselves and their associates. Based on the evidence collected, offenses punishable under Section 5(1)(c) and 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006, along with Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 201, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), have been established. Accordingly, the charge-sheet in Case FIR No. 11/2021 has been presented before the court for judicial determination against the three public servants and two private beneficiaries.
The Chenab Times News Desk