Srinagar, Jan 2: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a comprehensive chargesheet against 108 accused persons in a major corruption and fraud case involving large-scale embezzlement of government funds and illegal appointments in the Electric Division Sumbal.
According to officials, the chargesheet has been submitted before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Baramulla in FIR No. 25/2018. The case has been registered under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The accused include 15 Executive Engineers, six Assistant Accounts Officers, one Accounts Assistant, six Head Assistants, four Senior Assistants, four Junior Assistants and one Orderly who were posted in the Electric Division Sumbal. Among them is the alleged kingpin of the scam, Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, son of Sonaullah Malik, a resident of Aragam, Bandipora.
The chargesheet also names 25 officers and officials of J&K Bank, Branch Sumbal Sonawari, along with 46 fake employees who were illegally appointed and paid salaries using government funds.
Investigations revealed that the Drawing and Disbursing Officer, in connivance with departmental officials and bank personnel, fraudulently withdrew crores of rupees from government accounts. These funds were siphoned off through fake appointments and diverted into multiple bank accounts, including savings accounts and fixed deposits, causing huge losses to the public exchequer.
During the course of the investigation, crores of rupees were recovered from the main accused Mushtaq Ahmad Malik and deposited back into the Government Treasury. It also emerged that significant amounts, along with accrued interest, had been transferred to various accounts of the accused individuals.
Officials said the government has already accorded sanction for prosecution against all the accused persons. With the filing of the chargesheet, the case is now ready for judicial adjudication.
The EOW reiterated its commitment to exposing complex economic crimes and ensuring accountability in cases involving misuse of public funds.
