Bunglings worth crores in Cooperative Housing Corpn
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: In a complaint regarding alleged bungling and embezzlement worth crores of rupees in the J&K Cooperative Housing Corporation, the State Accountability Commission today issued notice to Minister for Cooperatives, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma and directed for regular enquiry into the complaint.
The complaint has been filed by Farooq Ahmed Dar and Sunil Sharma against Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Minister for Cooperative, Abdul Hamid Wani, Commissioner Secretary Cooperative Department and Mohd Abbas, Registrar Cooperatives.
In the complaint, it has been alleged that an enquiry was conducted by the Minister in respect of J&K Cooperative Housing Corporation during which it came to fore that bunglings/ embezzlements worth Rs 5000 crore have been committed by the former and present Managing Directors of the Corporation namely Brij Mohan Sharma and Bharat Bushan Sharma.
It has also been alleged in the complaint that these two Managing Directors along with one Mohd Shafi Dar, Assistant Registrar Cooperative Depart- ment have misappropriated crores of rupees but no action was taken against them by the Minister concerned as he himself got bribe and a plot from the Managing Director of the Corporation.
Moreover, Mohd Shafi Dar, who was under suspension for the last five years due to his involvement in embezzlements, was re-instated by the Registrar Cooperative Department at the behest of Minister, the complainants said, adding “in Jammu Central Cooperative Bank Limited there is misappropriation of Rs 259 crore and this amount has also been looted by the Minister, Commissioner Secretary and Registrar Cooperative”.
It has also been mentioned in the complaint that about 600 illegal backdoor appointments have been made in the banks at the behest of Minister/ officers and S S Slathia, Minister for Industries and Commerce. “These ministers and officers have earned money from these backdoor appointments”, the complaint said.
“Arun Bakshi, Managing Director Jammu Central Cooperative Bank Limited, who had attained the age of retirement on February 28, 2009, is still continuing in the services of the bank. By manipulating the elections, old corrupt Board has been brought back at the behest of the Minister and officers and Mohinder Singh, who is defaulter of J&K State Financial Corporation, has been appointed Chairman”, the complaint further said.
After going into the complaint in details, State Accountability Commission comprising Justice YP Nargotra (Chairperson) and Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain (Member) observed, “a case has already been registered with the Vigilance Organization regarding some of the allegations contained in the complaint”, adding “prima-facie it appears that gross irregularities have been committed by the officers of the Corporation and the Minister for Cooperative has failed to exercise effective control over the functioning of the Corporation”.
Stating that prima-facie case has been made out for regular enquiry, the Commission directed the Registry to register complaint for regular enquiry against Minister and officers named in the complaint. The Commission also issued notice to the respondents for their appearance in person or through Advocate for reply within three weeks.
The Vigilance Commission was directed to inform the Commission about the present status of the case registered in the matter.
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