Govt orders inquiry against SMC Deputy Mayor over corruption allegations

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered an inquiry into allegations of corruption against the Deputy Mayor of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Parvez Qadri.

The order in this regard was issued by the Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) Prashant Goyal.

The order reads that the inquiry was initiated on the basis of a report received from Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Srinagar while the Secretary in HUDD Anil Koul has been appointed as the Inquiry officer.

“In terms of section 34 of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act 2000, the sanction is hereby accorded to the appointment of Anil Koul, Secretary in the Housing and Urban Development Department as the Inquiry Officer to conduct a detailed inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Parvez Qadri, Deputy Mayor, Srinagar Municipal Corporation on the basis of inputs/report received from Anti Corruption Bureau, J&K Srinagar,” the order, issued on July 28, said.

The government order said The “principles of natural justice shall be adhered to during the process of inquiry.”

An official said earlier, a complaint was filed against Deputy Mayor SMC Parvez Qadri which was submitted to the Commissioner Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) which was later submitted to the administrative department for further course of action.

“The administrative department forwarded the case to the ACB for further investigations. The ACB after examining the case have now asked the department to initiate a departmental inquiry in the case,” the official said.

He said the ACB has not yet registered any FIR in this case. “The further course of action will be taken after the inquiry committee will submit the report to the department,” the official said.

Secretary in the HUDD, Anil Koul, who is the inquiry officer did not divulge any details about the case. “I have received the file today and I have not gone through the details yet,” Koul told Greater Kashmir.