Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 8: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet against seven persons for allegedly misappropriating Government funds sanctioned for construction of a school building in Baramulla district.
In a statement issued here, the Crime Branch said that the chargesheet in FIR No. 43/2018 was filed before the Court of Special Anti-Corruption Judge Baramulla for offences under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act.
According to the agency, the case was registered on the basis of a written complaint alleging embezzlement of funds sanctioned under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme for construction of a school building at village Hampora Kralgund in Langate area.
Investigation, as per the Crime Branch, revealed that an amount of Rs 5,73,592 had been released through various cheques by the then Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Langate, mostly routed through the first teacher of Primary School Hampora.
However, the sanctioned works were not executed in accordance with the approved plan.
On verification of the site, investigators found that only the structure of the school building had been constructed, while the kitchen block, toilet and ramp-also part of the approved project-had not been built despite the release of funds.
The probe further disclosed that the accused officials, in alleged connivance with a contractor, entered into a criminal conspiracy and allotted the contract in violation of SSA guidelines, which require that such construction works be carried out through members of the Village Education Committee (VEC).
Investigators also found that the original project plan for a three-roomed school building with a separate kitchen, toilet and ramp was altered for personal benefit. Instead, a double-storey structure with four rooms was constructed by deviating from the approved design.
The investigation also revealed that even after completion of the structure, the contractor did not hand over the building to the Education Department.
The concerned officials allegedly failed to take possession of the building deliberately, which enabled another accused person to occupy it illegally, the agency said.
The Crime Branch said that based on the evidence collected during the investigation, offences under the relevant provisions of law were established against the accused persons and the case has now been challaned before the competent court for judicial determination.
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