ACB books then-Assistant Director Employment for demanding, taking bribe

Srinagar, Nov 09: Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday said they have booked the then Assistant Director Employment Shabnam Mir for demanding and taking bribe.

In a statement, a spokesman for J&K ACB said that they have registered FIR against Ms. Shabnam Mir, the then Assistant Director Employment, for demanding and taking bribe from Himalayan motors Tengpora, bypass Srinagar for recommending their vehicles under Mumkin scheme.

According to statement, a verification was conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Anti corruption Bureau to look into the allegations that Ms. Shabnam Arif Mir, Assistant Director Employment in capacity of nodal officer under Mumkin scheme for District Kupwara & Bandipora demanded and accepted bribe from officials of Himalayan Motors Tengpora Bypass Srinagar for processing and recommending their vehicles under scheme during the year 2021-2022 etc

The verification conducted  has revealed that under the Mumkin scheme, the applications of eligible candidates were to be placed before District Level Implementation Committee (DLIC) by Nodal officer after verifying the credentials of the applications as per laid down norms, but said Ms Shabnam Arif Mir, as being Nodal Officer of Bandipora & Kupwara Districts demanded ₹10,000 per vehicle as bribe/commission from officials  of Himalayan Motors, Tengpora Srinagar for recommending  their vehicles, he said.

The probe conducted also reveal that the officials of said Himalyan Motors used to submit pro-forma bills of his dealer to her by paying fixed bribe money with the approval of General Manager Sumeer Pandita and Managing Director, Junaid Bashir Beigh against preferential treatment to the Himalayan Motors over other dealers, he said.

The verification  conducted has also revealed that the suspect public servant demanded and accepted bribe to the tune of ₹4,00,000 from sales consultant including ₹1,39,000, so received  through e-transactions into the account numbers  provided by her to officials of the Himalayan motors, he said.

Accordingly after culmination of probe a case FIR No. 15/2024 U/S 07 of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988  & section 120-B IPC has been registered at PS ACB Baramulla  against accused Public servant namely Ms. Shabnam Arif Mir, the then Assistant Director Employment, Bandipora & Kupwara (Nodal Officer, Mumkin scheme for district Kupwara -Bandipora ),  Sumeer Pandita, the then General Manager and Junaid Bashir Beigh, the then Managing Director of M/S Himalayan Motors Tengpora Bypass, Srinagar and others, he said.

Immediately after registration of the case searches were conducted by various ACB teams at multiple locations in Bandipora, Kupwara and Srinagar during which various incriminating documents were obtained and seized, he said.

Further investigations are going on and role of other officials is being investigated, reads the statement.