Srinagar, June 24: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed a chargesheet against a former Block Development Officer (BDO), an Executive Engineer, and five other individuals in a case involving the embezzlement of government funds.
In a statement, the ACB announced that it submitted the chargesheet to the Anti-Corruption Special Judge’s court in Baramulla. The charges involve allegations of corruption, criminal conspiracy, fraud, and embezzlement related to development projects in the Lolab/Lalpora block of Kupwara district.
The case originated from complaints regarding significant irregularities in development works conducted through the Rural Development Department in the Lolab block. An investigation by the then Vigilance Organization Kashmir (now ACB) revealed serious discrepancies in projects such as the construction of a diversion channel in Margi and a fish farming pond in Diver-B.
The ACB’s investigation uncovered issues such as incorrect measurements, billing for work that was never completed, unauthorized activities on forest land, and payments made for substandard work. Following these findings, an FIR was registered, and an inquiry was initiated.
The investigation revealed that the accused government employees colluded with the contractor to commit a criminal conspiracy and misused their positions. They facilitated fraudulent project completions, falsified records, inflated measurements, and released government funds without proper authorization.
It was determined that the government treasury suffered losses due to work that was either not completed or poorly executed, along with inflated claims. Additionally, fraudulent entries related to tree cutting were made in government records to unjustly benefit financially.
After obtaining the necessary approval from the competent authority to prosecute the serving government employees, the ACB filed charges against several individuals, including Mo Sultan Bhat (former BDO, Sogam/Lalpora), Engineer Surinder Kumar Sharma (former Executive Engineer, REW Division Kupwara), Mo Shafi Bukhari (former Assistant Executive Engineer, REW Kupwara), and others.
All accused individuals were presented before the court and were granted bail upon providing personal bonds, as per the court’s satisfaction. The charges were filed under the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, along with relevant provisions of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC). The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 25, 2026.
The statement emphasized the ACB’s unwavering commitment to conducting thorough, fair, and swift investigations into corruption cases, ensuring that all individuals responsible for corruption and misuse of public resources are held accountable under the law.
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