ACB unveils multi-crore scams involving Govt employees in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 02: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Monday revealed details of two major corruption cases, exposing significant misuse of power by government employees in Kashmir.

Addressing a news conference here, Assistant Inspector General ACB Headquarters Abdul Waheed Shah said that the first case involves Muhammad Shafi Rather, a Class IV employee from the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Shah said that despite his low-ranking position, Rather accumulated massive wealth through corrupt practices, acquiring both movable and immovable properties worth crores of rupees.

He said Rather’s assets include properties across Kashmir and in Jammu regions.

Shah said Rather, along with several of his associates had been arrested, and legal action was underway.

He said that the investigation was initiated based on allegations that Rather, employed as a ‘Kandaman’ (a Class IV post), had acquired assets far exceeding his known sources of income.

“Initially working as a commission agent in a fair price shop, Rather was later appointed in the department and mostly worked in the office of the Assistant Director FCS&CA, Baramulla,” Shah said He said that the investigation revealed that Rather, in connivance with other officials, accumulated substantial assets through corrupt practices.

“The assets identified during the investigation include several properties in J&K comprising a double-storey under-construction residential house at Wanigam Bala, Pattan, worth Rs 40.34 lakh, another house at the same location valued at Rs 32.92 lakh, and a single-storey house with land in Bathindi, Jammu worth Rs 32 lakh,” Shah said. “Additionally, Rather invested Rs 1.50 crore in a joint purchase of 107 kanal of land in Pattan with a total value of Rs 7.30 crore, among other substantial investments in land across the region. The probe also revealed significant expenditures, including payments amounting to Rs 1.11 crore, and the purchase of gold ornaments worth Rs 24.10 lakh.”

He said that the investigation uncovered additional properties and investments, including a house in Umerabad, Srinagar, and several plots of land in Tangmarg, Baramulla, and other locations.

Shah said that the ACB had invoked provisions of the J&K Public Men and Public Servants (Declaration of Assets & Other Provisions) Act, 1983, against Rather.

“Some assets were found to be jointly purchased with other officials, who have also been booked under Section 109 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for abetment,” he said.

Shah said that the second case involves Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, the Project Manager at the State Industrial Development Corporation (SICOP) in Kashmir.

He said that Bhat was found to have awarded a contract worth Rs 99 lakh to Ubaid Rashid Wani, an unqualified B-Class contractor from Hyderpora, for constructing a drainage system. Shah said that the investigations revealed that Bhat violated multiple regulations by issuing offline tenders in exchange for bribes. “The project’s cost eventually escalated to Rs 2.70 crore due to repeated extensions, causing substantial financial losses to the state exchequer,” he said. Shah said that a separate case against Bhat, involving a Rs 3.71 crore corruption scheme related to the illegal allotment and extension of a construction contract at the Industrial Estate Khrew, has also been registered.

He said that the ACB conducted searches at the residences of Bhat and Wani, seizing incriminating documents.

“This investigation revealed that Bhat conspired to award the contract to Wani, a Class B contractor, who was ineligible for the Rs 99 lakh project. Despite this, Bhat facilitated the allotment and later extended the project scope by Rs 2.69 crore. The ACB has registered FIR No 05/2024 at Police Station ACB Anantnag, and investigations are ongoing,” Shah said.