Court returns challan to CB for further investigation

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 9: In a significant order, Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Jammu Kishore Kumar today returned the challan presented by the Crime Branch in a case of preparing fake and fraudulent ration cards of about 2000 Kashmiri Pandit and Sikh migrants for further investigation. The Court also directed SSP Crime Branch to entrust  the investigation to the officer not below the rank of DySP, who shall complete the investigation preferably within a period of three months.
According to the prosecution case, Crime Branch received a written report alleging that one Vijay Kumar, son of Dhuni Chand in connivance with Kashmiri Lal, Relief Officer prepared fake and fraudulent ration cards of  about 2000 Kashmiri Pandits and Sikh migrants. On investigation, the relevant record from the Relief Office Zone No. 12 Channi Himmat in the shape of cheques, ledger sheets etc were seized from J&K Bank branch Fruit Mandi Complex Jammu and Nehru Market Jammu.
It was observed by the investigating agency that the bank and Government employees and civil beneficiaries namely Anil Kumar, Yash Pal and Vijay Kumar hatched a criminal conspiracy with the intention to cause huge loss to the Government exchequer. The bank employees passed cheques on forged endorsements by ignoring the guidelines for the same and credited the amount into account Nos. SB-2392, SB-2464, SB-5500 and SB-2552 by opening the fresh accounts and made cash payments of order cheques meant for Kashmiri migrants on the forged signatures. The bank officials/officers credited an amount of Rs 58,96,100 into the accounts.
After going through the challan presented by the Crime Branch, Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Jammu observed, “the IO has not investigated the role of the bank officials/officers who attested the account opening forms and this aspect of the case requires further investigation”, adding “surprisingly the premier investigating agency of the State has taken 22 years to reach a half-backed conclusions which shows lack of control over the IOs and the investigation of those who are at the helm of affairs”.
“Further investigation of the case is necessary in the facts and circumstances of the case as such SSP Crime Branch is directed to entrust the investigation to the officer not below the rank of DySP, who shall wrap the investigation preferably within a period of three months”, the court directed.

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