CBI well equipped to investigate overseas properties
*HC orders Medical Board to examine NC leader’s son
Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Mar 2: A day after the CBI arrested a top serving bureaucrat and a retired officer in arms license case, the Union Territory Government of Jammu and Kashmir is set to crack whip on corruption by the political leaders by handing over the case of Rs 177 crore scam by `Paradise Avenue’ involving Hilal Rather son of prominent National Conference leader and former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) as investigations revealed that the loan amount had been used to purchase overseas properties.
Though Hilal was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on January 16, he has spent most of the time in the Super Specialty Hospital (SSH) and the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu and has reportedly filed fresh application for shifting out of the GMC due to insanitary conditions.
Highly placed sources told the Excelsior that Rs 177 crore worth loan obtained by Hilal Rather for developing ‘Paradise Avenue’ at Narwal Bala on the outskirts of Jammu City from Jammu and Kashmir Bank when his father was the Finance Minister in National Conference-Congress coalition Government, has been used to purchase overseas properties especially in United States and Dubai.
“In view of overseas purchase of properties reportedly purchased from the loan amount, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has requested for transfer of the case to the CBI which was well equipped and has Auditors, Forensic experts and other forms of expertise required for investigation of properties abroad,” sources said.
They added that the Union Territory Government of Jammu and Kashmir was likely to write to the Central Government for handing over case to the CBI as the ACB has reported that loan taken from Jammu and Kashmir Bank to the tune of Rs 177 crore by the Paradise Avenue township project of Hilal Rather, was used to purchase immovable properties at United States and Dubai.
“An official request was likely to be made by the Union Territory Government for transfer of case to the CBI New Delhi in the next few days,” sources said.
Investigations have also revealed that certain forged documents had been used to obtain loan from the Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
Meanwhile, the High Court today directed the Medical Superintendent, Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu to constitute a Board of Doctors from the Departments of Urology, Medicine and Chest Infections under his supervision for examination of Hilal Rather.
High Court Judge Justice Sanjay Kumar Gupta, however, ordered that Dr Rahul Gupta, Associate Professor, Department of Urology SSH/GMC Jammu, who has already given a report, shall not be included in the Board and entire exercise will be completed within two days.
“The Board of Doctors will examine the applicant (Hilal Rather) and give a report with regard to his health condition. They will also report with regard to the fact as to what treatment is required to be given to the applicant/patient and whether that treatment is available in the hospital or not. They will also report with regard to hygiene conditions, which are required by the patient and as to whether those conditions are available in the hospital or not,” Justice Gupta directed and ordered that the matter be posted on March 5.
Hilal Rather was admitted in the SSH on January 24 and the GMC Jammu on February 20 while being in the judicial custody.
“The investigation conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau revealed that Paradise Avenue, a partnership concern of Hilal Rather, Dr Rizwan Raheem Dar of Sanat Nagar Srinagar, Ghulam Mohd Bhatt of Baramulla, Kashmir, Daljeet Wadhera and Deepshikha Jamwal of Jammu was sanctioned a term loan of Rs 74.27 crores in the first phase.
“In relaxation to the credit policy of the bank which restricts loan to a partnership firm at Rs 40 crores, the loan was approved by the Board of Directors of the J&K Bank despite the fact that Hilal Rather had already entered into an OTS with the State Financial Corporation in the past,” sources said.
The remaining loan amount was granted by the Board despite the fact that the repayments of the first loan taken, was not complete.
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