1,503 Fake Shopkeepers Named; Funds Embezzled with Help from Officials, Touts
WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case against officials of the DC Office Srinagar and other Revenue officials, besides touts, in a multi-crore scam in post-flood 2014 relief distribution.
As per the details available, the people involved in the scam had prepared a fake and fraudulent lists of 1503 purported flood affected shopkeepers/traders in Tehsil Central Shalteng Srinagar and subsequent wrongful disbursement of Govt. relief funds amongst them, thereby causing wrongful gain to themselves and wrongful loss/misappropriation of Rs. 7,51,50,000 (Seven crores, Fifty lakhs and Fifty Thousand) to Govt./State Exchequer.
The document available with The News Now reads that ACB received receipt of reliable information regarding the fraud, following which a discreet verification was conducted to ascertain the veracity of allegations, which were found to be based on facts.
Documents read that a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) was conducted in the Accounts Section of the Office of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar on 06th March this year, and a formal verification was conducted by CBI-ACB Srinagar.
The verification revealed that Accounts Section in the Office of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar and subordinate Tehsil Offices in District Srinagar have deposited unspent flood relief money in Addl. Treasury Tankipora Srinagar vide T.V. No. 12, dated:- 19.09.2019 under Major-Account Head 8443-00, 800-0ther-Deposit. Pertinently, a few official communications from DC Office Srinagar mention varying figures of deposited amount Rs. 42.00 crores, Rs. 32.14 crores & Rs. 31.54 crores.
The verification revealed that a U.O No. 191213/R/DCS/NCRFrrraders/2015, dated 03.07.2015 issued by DC sgr. directed Bazar Committees/Associations to conduct necessary verification in respect of non-insured flood affected shopkeeper/trader/business units with turnover below Rs. 10.00 lakhs and thereafter submit the lists supported by an Affidavit of such genuine shopkeepers/traders to concerned Tehsil Office for flood relief. But in case of Tehsil Central Shalteng two separate application have been submitted in respect of 1503 purported shopkeepers/traders by alleged Al-Falah Shopkeepers
Association and Flood Affected Coordination Committee Srinagar vide No. 03/AFSA, dated 11.11.2018 and No. 106/FEC, dated 05.11.18 without Affidavits and necessary verification in contravention of the said U.O
The Officers/Officials in DC Office Sgr. and Tehsil Office Central Shalteng Srinagar have conspired & connived with alleged members of alleged Al-Falah Shopkeepers Association and alleged members of alleged Flood Affected Coordination Committee Srinagar, brokers Tariq Ahmad Malik, Tariq Ahmad Shaikh, 1503 purported shopkeepers/traders most of whom belong to a single household and other persons in preparation of a fake list of fictitious flood affected shopkeepers/traders that was submitted to DC Office Srinagar vide No. 811/TCSS/2018, dated 16.11.2018. During verification both Al-Falah Srinagar were found fictitious & non-existing.
The verification revealed that 401 shopkeepers/traders of tehsil North Srinagar filed a writ petition titled Mohammad Ibrahim Moti & Ors. vide WP No. 1802/2021, CM 5983/2021 in High Court Srinagar on 09.09.2021 for payment of flood relief to them. On the very next day on 10.09.2021, the honorable J&K High Court Srinagar passed an order that this petition is disposed of in accordance with a previous judgment dated 22.11.2017, in OWP No. 1916/2017, titled as Ghulam Mohammad Rather & Ors. v/s DC Sgr.as the petitioners’ case is deemed identical.
The respondents are directed to consider the petitioners’ claim based on the rules occupying the field, and make a decision within four weeks of receiving a certified copy of this order.”
Taking a cue of the Court Order dated 10.09.2021 in WPNo. 1802/2021, with mala fide intentions, 24 persons out of above said 1503 purported flood affected shopkeepers/traders of Tehsil Central Shalteng Srinagar filed a WP No. 786/2022 titled as Waheed Ahmad Lone & Ors. v/s DC Srinagar & Ors. in High Court J&K Srinagar on 18.04.2022 copy; shopkeepers Association and Flood Affected Coordination Committee seeking flood relief from the Govt. under non-insured and below 10.00 lakhs turnover category.
Meanwhile, the remaining 1479 (out of 1503) purported claimants also filed a separate WP No. 86/2024, titled as Jan Mohammad Dar & Ors. v/s DC Srinagar & Ors. in High Court J&K Srinagar. The Hon’ble High Court issued order “Meanwhile, respondents are directed to consider the claim of petitioners in terms of communication dated 26.03.2024 provided they are eligible.” Both these WPs were clubbed by the Hon’ble High Court.
The verification established that although subject 1503 petitioners before the honorable High Court do exist physically and have active bank accounts in respective branches, projecting themselves as flood affected shopkeepers/traders they also became a part of the larger conspiracy by colluding with unknown officers/officials of DC Off. Sgr. Tehsil Office Central Shalteng, brokers Tariq Ahmad Malik, Tariq Ahmad Sheikh & other persons and provided to them their name, other particulars & bank accounts for receiving wrongful gain, without any eligibility and entitlement.
The verification prima facie established that the Officers/Official in DC Office Srinagar conspired with brokers & other persons and pursued their criminal ploy by way of feeding/submitting fabricated, false & fictitious information of verification/re-verification of subject 1503 purported flood affected shopkeepers/traders to the Court of law and Govt. Officers/Offices of Principal Secretary to Govt. Finance Deptt., Director General (Budget) Finance Department, Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar, and Accounts Officer with Finance Department, Jammu & Kashmir Srinagar/Jammu through series of official communications with intention to cause wrongful loss to the Govt.and wrongful gain to themselves.
And upon the basis of said fabricated, false and fictitious feedback/reportage of verification/re-verification in respect of subject 1503 petitioners, these Officers/Officials of DC Off. Sgr, and Tehsil Office Central Shalteng in conspiracy with pseudo beneficiaries & others have by way of inducement secured/managed revalidation/authorization/release of Rs. 13.79 crores from Finance Department vide letter No.FD-BDGTOD3/5/2023-03-F.D. dated 27.09.2024 to be disbursed amongst the petitioners/ alleged beneficiaries. A separate revalidation/ authorization/ release of Rs. 12.00 lakhs was also secured in favour of said 24 petitioners.
Therefore, Rs. 50,000 under the guise of flood relief was disbursed in favour of subject 1503 fictitious shopkeepers/traders by way of crediting the amount in respective bank accounts of alleged beneficiaries.
Moreover, the verification revealed that Advocate Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, who was pleading for 24 petitioners in WP titled as Waheed Ahmad Lone & Ors. was a part of this whole conspiracy as his as many as 08 close family members happen to be the petitioners/alleged beneficiaries amongst 24 petitioners.
During verification it is prima facie established that unknown officers/officials of DC Office Sgr. & Tehsil Office Central Shalteng abused their official position and connived with brokers namely Tariq Ahmad Malik Slo Ghulam Mohammad Malik R/o Lane No. 04, Firdous Abad Batamaloo Sgr., Tariq Ahmad Sheikh @ Kabali Slo Ghulam Nabi Sheikh RIO Mustafa Abad Zainakote HMT Sgr., and other persons including alleged beneficiaries in commission of offences under section 420, 120-B r/w 420 RPC and section 5(1)d r/w section 5 (2) of J&K P.C Act Samvat 2006 (Ad1949) section 61 r/w section BNS 318 and section 13 (1) (a) r/w 13 (2) of PC Act 1988 (amended by J&K Re-organization Act-2019) for preparation of fake & fraudulent lists of 1503 purported flood affected shopkeepers/traders in Tehsil Central Shalteng Srinagar and subsequent wrongful disbursement of Govt. relief funds amongst them, thereby causing wrongful gain to themselves and wrongful loss/misappropriation of Rs. 7,51,50,000 (Seven crores, Fifty lakhs and Fifty Thousand) to Govt./State Exchequer.
