Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 17: Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Udhampur SC Katal today framed charges against the then Executive Engineer Mahore Sunil Gupta and others for allotment of most of the work in the R&B Special Sub-Division Mahore to blue eyed persons.
The other accused persons are Assistant Accounts Officer in the office of Xen Special Sub Division Mohore Reasi, Lakhdeep Singh and contractors Chatter Singh, Abdul Hamid, Mohd Hanief, Farman Ali and Mohd Afzal.
After hearing APP Himanshu Parkash for the ACB whereas Advocates Rakesh Chargotra, Bhanu Salathia and Gulshan Singh for the accused persons, the court observed, “there is sufficient oral as well as documentary evidence available on file/record which on its face value reveals that Sunil Gupta, the then Xen PWD (R&B) Special Sub Division Mahore in league with accused Lakhdeep Singh Jamwal, Assistant Accounts Officer in office of Xen Special Sub Division Mahore deliberately fragmented the works in parts to bring them within his financial competence and by abusing his official position got executed 161 number of works worth Rs 2.86 crores without inviting tenders”.
“The accused by misuse of their official position released the payments to the contractors without deducting the service tax at the then prevailing rate of 10 %. Out of 161 numbers of work executed the investigation in respect of 94 works was conducted and loss of Rs 19,50,954 has been detected which is direct benefit to the blue eyed contractors”, the court said, adding “so it can be inferred from the conduct of accused persons that there was meeting of mind of accused persons to drain the state exchequer in order to provide undue benefits to the contractors/ beneficiaries”.
“Hence, a prima facie case is made out for framing charge under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) J&K PC Act 2006 read with Section 120-B RPC. The accused persons are accordingly charge-sheeted”, the court said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
