Srinagar, April 20: In a significant development, the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court Anantnag has convicted five former storekeepers of the Food and Supplies Department in a decades-old misappropriation case, while the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also filed a charge-sheet in a separate embezzlement case involving a former Block Development Officer (BDO) in Kupwara.
In the first case, the court convicted Abdul Khaliq Shah, Ghulam Nabi Mir, Mohammad Shafi Rather, Ghulam Hassan Hajam, and Muzaffar Ahmad Bichoo, all former storekeepers in the Pahalgam circle, for misappropriation of food grains and empty bags.
The case, registered under FIR No. 09/1990 at Police Station VOK (now ACB), pertained to embezzlement amounting to ₹3,64,235.84 during the period from April 1989 to September 1989.
The court, presided over by Masarat Roohi, convicted the accused under provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act and the Ranbir Penal Code after evaluating evidence presented during trial.
The matter has been listed for arguments on the quantum of punishment on April 24, 2026.
In a separate case, the ACB has presented a charge-sheet before the court in FIR No. 11/2021 against Abdul Majeed Ganie, then BDO Kupwara, along with other officials and private individuals for alleged embezzlement of government funds.
The investigation revealed that the accused public servants, in connivance with private beneficiaries, manipulated official records and generated fraudulent fund transfer orders to siphon off funds meant for developmental works.
Officials said the accused diverted funds into unauthorized accounts, including those of associates, and carried out fraudulent transactions such as double drawals and payments for non-existent works.
The probe also found that official records were withheld or destroyed and key electronic evidence was not produced, indicating attempts to conceal the offence.
According to the ACB, the accused caused a loss of ₹4,86,170 to the state exchequer, with corresponding gains to themselves.
The charge-sheet includes offences under multiple sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Ranbir Penal Code, and the case will now proceed for judicial determination.
The twin developments underline continued efforts by anti-corruption agencies to pursue both legacy cases and ongoing financial irregularities in public administration. [KNT]
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