SRINAGAR : Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) and Crime Branch (CB) have registered FIRs against 304 officers and officials of different departments in corruption cases for the past about one decade.
Majority cases are still under investigation even after eight years while courts have directed SVO to reinvestigate in some cases.
However, 31 officers and officials were awarded punishment by courts.
This information was given in a written reply by the government in the Legislative Assembly on a question by lone
Communist Party of India (M) member Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.
The officers and officials were involved in misappropration of government funds by misusing their positions, illegal appointments, gratification, manipulation
of records and purchasing medicines worth crores of rupees on exorbitant rates.
Mr Tarigami had demanded details of corruption cases pending against various officers and officials, including those who had now retired with SVO and CB. The written reply by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said 95
cases were registered by SVO against hundreds of officers and officials in Jammu region.
Barring five all cases are still under investigation though some of them have been registered in 2006. An FIR was registered against two tehsildars of Jammu Romesh Misri and Ravinder Kapoor in 2006 for allegedly facilitating alienation of land, falling in the co-ownership
of complainant and beneficiary private persons, he said. However, the SVO in its report closed the case as not proved. However, a court disagreed with the findings of the SVO and ordered for reinvestigation. In another case registered against Mohammad Rashid then tehsildar Jammu, the court has directed reinvestigation. The reply said that 94 FIRs have been registered by SVO in the Kashmir division.
A court has directed SVO for reinvestigate case filed in 2000 against Ajaz Rasool, then Executive Engineer Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA), accused to have misappropriated funds while executing works relating to Nallah Amir Khan.
Initially the case was culminated for departmental action
but the court disagreed with the finds of SVO and ordered for further investigation.
The reply said the court has stayed investigation in a case filed against Dr Ghulam Mohiuddin, then executive director/secretary state social welfare board, Jaffar Hussain Manager central marketing society, Kupwara and Abdul Hamid Khan manager cooperative bank, Kupwara. The CB, Jammu, has registered FIRs against 81 while 34 were Kashmir valley officers and officials. Though the CB has prepared challan in five cases, it still awaits sanction from the government. Since 1993, the courts have awarded punishments in 31 cases of SVO and 3 cases of CB.
(AGENCIES)
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