JK Vigilance arrests two more in Hill Kaka embezzlement case

Srinagar, June 2 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation today arrested two more people for their custodial questioning in connection with the Hill Kaka compensation embezzlement case.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had in the state Assembly on March 10 admitted to bunglings in the distribution of compensation to the families of Hill Kaka, whose dhokes have been occupied by the Army following ''Operation Sarp Vinash''.

The Army claimed to have killed more than 60 militants, uncovered several bunkers and seized huge stocks of arms, ammunition and medicines in a phased operation in the remote Hill Kaka area near Surankote town in the Jammu region in 2003.

Mr Azad had asked the Vigilance Organisation to expedite the process and complete the investigations within three months.

A Vigilance Organisation spokesman said one of the accused has been identified as Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Dhara Dhullian village in Haveli tehsil of Poonch district, and then tehsildar of Surankote. The other accused is Abdul Razaq, a resident of Fagla village in Poonch district.

A case was registered by the Vigilance Organisation following complaints that the government money sanctioned as compensation and relief to the displaced families of Hill Kaka area had not reached them. These families were not able to visit their pastures due to security reasons during 2003-04.

The Centre had sanctioned more than Rs 7 crore for providing compensation to the families affected due to taking over of their dhokes by the Army.

The state government had released Rs 3 crore during 2003 and Rs 4.40 crore during 2004-05. The officials in conspiracy with touts and beneficiaries manipulated records and inflated the number of cattle, the spokesman said.

Fake records contrary to the factual position were prepared to confer undue benefit on themselves and the accused, he added.

After the case was handed over to the Vigilance Organisation, about 10 cases were taken up on a sample basis and bungling of Rs 5.75 lakh was detected.

The Vigilance Organisation has already arrested two accused -- Maqbool Ahmed and Sohan Singh (both junior assistants) while another accused, Choudhary Mohammad Hafeez, the Assistant Commissioner (Revenue) Poonch, was granted an interim bail by the court. The spokesman said the investigations into the case were being vigorously pursued by the Vigilance Organisation.

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