Today News Line JK

ACB books JEs, others for fictitious bills

JAMMU, Sept 28: Anticorruption Bureau Jammu has registered a case against Khalid Najeeb Molvi (Village Level Worker), Tarun Gupta (JE), Shafqat Hussain (JE), Naseer Rashid (Gram Rozgar Sevak), Amit Kumar (Technical Assistant), Akhter Hussain (MPW), Tanveer Ahmad Shah (JE), Nelofar Akhter (VLW), Mansoor Hussain (VLW), Abdul Rehman (GRS), Ghulam Rasool Butt (retd MPW), Sajad Ahmed (the then GRS), Abdul Majid (the then MPW), Maroofa Begum (the then GRS Block Dali Udhyanpur), Rahila Parveen (the then GRS), Fareed Ahmed Natnoo (the then VLW) and others for drawal of payments against fictitious bills for material and non-existent works in Block Dali of Udhyanpur area of district Doda.

According to the ACB, a preliminary enquiry was conducted to look into the allegations of drawal of payments by ACDs, BDOs and REW Doda against fictitious bills, inflated billing for material, drawal of payment against non-existent works in Block Dali of Udhyanpur area of Doda with effect from 2014 to 2018.

During the course of the probe, it was found that a total of 1386 works under different heads have been executed during the period in question. Out of these 1386 works, 118 works were inspected randomly during probe and loss has been detected in 29 works on account of less execution on ground, escalated entries in M.Book etc. besides, 01 work namely construction of P/Path at Gowari to road Panchayat Seel Udhyanpur has been found non-existent. A loss to the tune of Rs 18,75,307 has been found inflicted upon the State exchequer in execution of these 30 works.

It has been found that excess payment was drawn in 30 works executed in the Block Dali by the then BDO on the basis of measurements taken and bills prepared by respective JEs/VLWs/GRSs namely Khalid Najeeb Molvi, Tarun Gupta, Shafqat Hussain, Naseer Rashid, Amit Kumar, Akhter Hussain, Tanveer Ahmad Shah, Nelofar Akhter, Mansoor Hussain, Abdul Rehman, Ghulam Rasool Butt, Sajad Ahmed, Abdul Majid, Maroofa Begum, Rahila Parveen, Fareed Ahmed Natnoo and others.

The ACB found that these officials under well knit conspiracy with others, dishonestly and fraudulently by abuse of their official position, for their ulterior motives and pecuniary gains managed payment against non-existent works and excess payment against the existent ones.

The ACB found that omissions and commissions on the part of these officials of Rural Development Department prima facie constitute offence punishable under Sections 5(1)(c) 5(1)(d) read with 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Sections 465, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B RPC. Accordingly, a case FIR No. 07/2022 has been registered at Police Station ACB Doda.