ACB files chargesheet in Rs 223 cr J&K Cooperative Bank scam

Spl Secy I&C, Dy Registrar sent to judicial custody

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Nov 17: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has produced the supplementary chargesheet in Rs 223 crore loan scam of J&K State Cooperative Bank Srinagar.
The court has also sent the accused Special Secretary, Industries and Commerce and Deputy Registrar to judicial custody.
The ACB said that a supplementary charge sheet was filed against Mohammad Mujib-ur-Rehman-Ghassi son of Ghulam Mohammad Ghassi resident Syedpora, Harwan near Syedpora Bridge Tehsil and District Srinagar, the then Registrar of Cooperative Societies J&K and Ashiq Hussain Syed Zia-ud-Din of Chewdara Tehsil Berwah District Budgam, the then Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies J&K in the Rs 223 crore JKSTCB (J&K State Cooperative Bank) loan scam.
Both the accused, the ACB said, were arrested before production of a charge sheet and produced in court. Both accused were remanded to judicial custody by court.
Detailing the case, the Bureau said that the Case FIR 04/ 2020 was registered against Mohammad Shafi Dar of Majeed Bagh Barzulla Srinagar chairman J&K State Co-operative Bank Ltd and others u/s 5(1) (d) r/w Section 5(2) PC Act and sections 465,467,468,471,120-B/RPC in ACB Srinagar.
The case was registered, for allegedly “sanctioning loan to the tune of Rs. 250 crore in favour of a non-existent society under the name and style River Jhelum Co-operative House Building Society Magarmal Bagh, Srinagar” for the purposes of construction of a satellite township at Shiv Pora Srinagar bypassing the Credit Policy of the bank and on the basis of false and fabricated documents.
ACB said that it had already filed a chargesheet on November 8, 2020 against Mohd Shafi Dar, the then Chairman of J&K State Co-operative Bank, Hilal Ahmad Mir, Chairman and Abdul Hamid Hajam Secretary of the non-existent Co-operative Society.
Further investigation of the case was in progress, it said.
The ACB said that the investigation has further revealed that Mujib-ur-Rehman Ghassi, the then Registrar Co-operative Societies and Ashaq Hussain, Dy. Registrar of the office of Registrar Co-operative Societies had issued a letter to J&K State Co-operative Bank under the signature of the Registrar despite knowing fully well that such a society did not exist after checking all the relevant office records.
“On the receipt of said letter loan to the tune of Rs. 223 crore was sanctioned in favour of the non-existent Co-operative Society by J&K State Co-operative Bank headed by accused Mohd Shafi Dar, Chairman of the Bank,” the ACB said.
The investigation, the ACB said, has further established that the agenda items of non-existent society were also created on 23.01.2019 before the sanction and disbursement of loan to the tune of Rs. 223 crore. “The Bye-Laws of the society were created on November 21, 2019 fictitiously by Mohd Shafi Dar Ex-Chairman of J&K State Co-operative Bank.”