SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch in Jammu and Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against three individuals in connection with a fraudulent appointment scheme within the Power Development Department (PDD). The case involves allegations of forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy, with government officials implicated in the scam.
The Chenab Times has learned that the chargesheet, filed under FIR No. 46/2023 before the Anti-Corruption Court in Baramulla, names Nasir Ahmad Mir, a resident of Kunan Babagund in Bandipora; Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, also from Aragam, Bandipora, who is employed by the Kashmir Power Commercialization and Distribution Company Limited (KPDCL); and a deceased former Executive Engineer of KPDCL/ED Sumbal, originally from Jammu.
The investigation was initiated following a written complaint alleging illegal appointments within the PDD. During the course of the probe, it was uncovered that Nasir Ahmad Mir had obtained government employment through what appeared to be a fabricated appointment order. This order was purportedly issued under the provisions of SRO-43 of 1994, a regulation commonly used for compassionate appointments.
However, official inquiries revealed that the alleged appointment order could not be traced in any official government records, casting serious doubt on its legitimacy and origin. This discrepancy prompted a deeper examination of the circumstances surrounding Mir’s employment.
Further investigations established that Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, who held the position of Senior Assistant at the time, allegedly prepared a forged service book for Nasir Ahmad Mir. This forged document falsely documented Mir’s appointment under the SRO-43 provisions, effectively creating a false employment history.
Forensic examination of the service book provided crucial evidence, confirming that the entries, including signatures, were authored and made by Mushtaq Ahmad Malik. Investigators also noted the absence of any official dispatch or receipt records that would typically accompany the issuance of such an appointment order, further reinforcing the suspicion of fraud.
A verification conducted by the then Tehsildar of Bandipora reached a definitive conclusion: Mir was not eligible for an appointment under SRO-43, as he did not meet the necessary qualifying conditions stipulated by the regulation. This finding directly contradicted the basis on which Mir had allegedly been employed.
Despite the lack of valid documentation and the ineligibility of the appointee, the chargesheet indicates that the deceased Executive Engineer facilitated the release of Mir’s salary. This salary disbursement commenced in 2009, more than three years after the purported appointment date, and was reportedly done without conducting proper verification processes.
The Crime Branch’s investigation concluded that the accused individuals acted in concert as part of a criminal conspiracy. They allegedly utilized forged documents to secure and subsequently maintain illegal employment benefits within the PDD.
Based on the findings, the Crime Branch has invoked relevant sections of the Ranbir Penal Code, including Section 420 (cheating), Section 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), Section 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy). Additionally, applicable provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act have been invoked against the public servants involved in the alleged irregularities.
The chargesheet has now been submitted to the Anti-Corruption Court for judicial adjudication, and the court will determine the further course of proceedings and any subsequent actions against the accused.
The Chenab Times News Desk