ACB books X-En, others

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 8: Anti- Corruption Bureau Baramulla has registered a case against public servants of PDD Division Handwara namely Farooq Ahmad Teli, the then Executive Engineer, Javed Ahmad Waza, the then AEE, Shabir Anmad Wani, the then JE, Manzoor Ahmad Chowdhary, the then JE and the beneficiaries under Section 5 (1) (d) read with Sections 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120-B RPC.
According to the ACB, a Joint Surprise Check was conducted to look into allegations of illegal and fraudulent engagements of various need based workers by the accused officials. The probe revealed that record regarding need based workers was not properly maintained by the Sub Divisions of Electric Division Handwara.
A total of 159 workers have been found recommended by Executive Engineer PDD for regularization since December 2018 certifying therein inter-alia that the daily wager/PDL/TDL were working continuously from the date of engagement, remained satisfactory, there was nothing adverse against him/her etc. The month wise and year wise CVs of these daily wagers/PDL/TDL were also forwarded along with recommendations.
A list of 211 workers has also been found prepared and forwarded by the PDD Division Handwara after verification to the SE EM&RE Circle North Sopore. Amongst these 211 workers, 159 names had been recommended till 28.11.2020 for their regularization. It has been found that the list of 211 workers contained 36 names which were not figuring in the earlier list submitted to the higher-ups.
These 36 officials have been paid labour charges for few months only in 2014. They have been paid regularly post July 2017 and later on recommended for their regularization while ignoring the deserving ones and without adopting procedure for their engagement as prescribed in Government Order No. 239 of 2005 dated 29.11.2005, Govt Order No. 43-F of 2015 and Circular No. 30-GAD of 2019 dated 29.11.2019 read with J&K Civil Services (Special Provision Act 2010) wherein contractual/ temporary appointment without adopting proper procedure has been restricted/banned.
In this way, the involved officers/officials by abuse of their official positions under well knit conspiracy with each other and the beneficiary illegally and fraudulently engaged 36 beneficiaries against pecuniary gains without having competence in this regard and later recommended for their regularization thus conferred undue benefit upon themselves and the beneficiaries.
Accordingly, a case FIR No. 27/2022 has been registered in Police Station ACB Baramulla against the officers/officials of PDD Division Handwara and the beneficiaries.