Rs 43 lakh withdrawn on false, fabricated bills
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 31: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case against the J&K Football Association (JKFA) for misappropriation of funds worth lakhs of rupees provided to them by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council for the promotion of football.
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The ACB has registered a case against its president Zamir Thakur, treasurer S S Bunty, chief executive S A Hameed and member Fayaz Ahmad besides others office bearers of the Association for misappropriation of funds worth lakhs of rupees withdrawn against false and fabricated bills.
A preliminary inquiry conducted by the ACB upon a complaint lodged by well-wishers of Football Association through Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, son of Abdul Khaliq Bhat of Sopore alleging that funds allotted by the J&K Sports Council and other Government and semi-Government agencies, for conducting football activities across J&K were misused and the funds sanctioned by the Government through J&K Sports Council to organise tournaments like Khelo India and Mufti Memorial Gold Cup were not utilised properly.
The preliminary investigation found that members of the Association showed an amount of Rs 43,06,500 paid to Restaurant Mughal Darbar, Polo View in Srinagar for purchase of Biryani as refreshment for the teams.
However, the ACB found that no such refreshment has ever been given to any team in any district of Kashmir province. The bills raised by the Association and placed on record before the ACB has been found fake.
The ACB has also found that an amount of Rs 1,41,300 was shown paid to Hindustan Photostat for various activities. It was during inquiry found fake and prepared by resorting to forgery.
An amount of Rs 1,01,900 was shown paid to Jan Hardware Tengpora Bye-Pass Srinagar which was found non-existing.
The probe found that Rs 43,06,500 has been drawn out of Rs 50 lakh budget released for Kashmir division by the J&K Sports Council which upon inquiry has been found drawn based on fake and forged bills or documents.
It has also been found that the J&K Sports Council released these funds to the J&K Football Association before the commencement of the events without ensuring account for on-ground utilisation and follow up thereupon.
The probe conducted revealed that all these bills are forged as they bear the handwriting of the same person.
The ACB found that the amount has been found drawn by preparing false and fabricated bills by the J&K Football Association members including JKFA president Zameer Ahmad Thakur, Treasurer S S Bunty, Chief Executive S A Hameed, District president JKFA Fayaz Ahmad and others.
A case (vide FIR No 30/22 under Section 5(1) (c), 5(1) (d) read with Section 5(2) of the JK PC Act Svt 2006 and Section 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code) has been registered in Police Station ACB SBG Srinagar.
It has put J&K Sports Council also in the dock for not monitoring the funds for promotion of football in Kashmir. ACB is also looking into the possible involvement of the officials of the Sports Council.
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