Manzoor Makhdoomi
Srinagar, June 5: Unable to dispel the image of being the most corrupt State in India, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing unprecedented rise in number of corruption cases and scams.
The number of complaints registered with State Vigilance Organization (SVO) against various Government functionaries has jumped from 2003 in the year 2013 to 2350 in 2014. For the last 3 years (2012-2014) the highest number of corruption complaints were filed against employees of Revenue Department .
Complaints were filed against Revenue Department officials in 1612 cases of irregularities including 48 FIRs. Second highest number of corruption charges were filed against officials and employees of Education Department with 1201 complaints filed including 16 FIRs.
This was followed by the Rural Development Department where 1025 complaints including 11 FIRs were filed. Against Police 611 cases filed including 8 FIRs. The Corporations have 393 complaints and 14 FIRs registered against them and PWD and R&B 380 complaints and 10 FIRs. Rest of the complaints were filed against Forest Department, The Department of Public Health and Engineering (PHE), Department of Health and Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) are in the same order.
In 2014 out of 240 complaints filed against public servants of the rank of gazetted officers 79 cases were registered. Among these 79 cases, 29 were trap cases. In 2014, high profile trap case for example was that of Dr. Manoj Baghat of District Hospital of Kathua, who was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 and Mehrajudin, Head Assistant and Aamir Rashid Bhat, Compiler of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) who were caught red-handed taking a bribe of Rs 65,000. This year, 106 complaints have been filed against gazetted officers so far out of which 27 are registered cases including five trap cases.
According to State Vigilance Organisation, since 2009, the success rate of complaints filed has jumped to about 90% from earlier 49%. Now, about 90% of the complaints are registered as proven cases of corruption, an official of the SVO said.
Between 2014- May 2015, as midway correction, Vigilance Organization issued many alert notes against projects and works where some form of financial mismanagement was taking place in their progress. In 2014, 12 alert notes were issued against one Mohammad Hussain Bulla, Executive Engineer, Flood Control Anantnag, for non-existing payments. Twelve alert notes were issued against Satish Khajuria, Chief Khilafwarzi, Jammu Municipal Corporation. Ten Alert notes were issued against Zahoor Ahmad, Chief Engineer PHE. In 2015 many alert notes were issued against officials of Revenue Department, Handwara, in various cases of land grabbing.
Among 6 high profile cases, in which lakhs of kanals of State land has been grabbed in posh residential colonies and tourist places like Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sidhra and Roopnagar, 2 have been cleared for sanction of Government for prosecution and 4 are under clarification. Three FIRs have been filed and enquires in 3 corruption cases are in progress against Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, CEO, Municipal Committee, Sonamarg. Two FIRs have been filed and 12 enquires are in progress against Satish Khajuria, CEO of Jammu Municipal Committee.
Similarly, 4 cases are pending against Abdul Rashid Shah, CEO, Municipal Committee of Bandipora-Sumbal-Hajin. In the multicrore Roshini scam, which was the biggest ever scam in J&K, the number of cases registered has reached to 11 so far.
However, according to vigilance officials the rising number of corruption cases has been met with tardy disposal at courts. They said that by December, 31 ,2014, 503 vigilance cases were pending in various courts across J&K.
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