Property worth Rs one crore of senior J

Srinagar, July 18 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation (VO) has ordered attachment of a prime property worth Rs one crore of a senior state government officer under the provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

A VO spokesman said Kiran Wattal, who was last posted as Joint Commissioner (Works) in Jammu Municipal Corporation before he was attached in the office of Divisional Commissioner Jammu has indulged in malpractices.

He said as per investigation Wattal has spent more than Rs 70 lakh for construction of a five storeyed commercial building at Janipur in Jammu. However, the present value of the property is more than Rs one crore.

The basement and ground floor of this property was being used as a banquet hall under the name of Pamposh Banquet hall.

The first floor had been rented out to Jammu and Kashmir Bank and the second and third floor was used by Wattal for running business establishment under the name and style of Pamposh Bar and Restaurant.

Investigation so far has revealed that Wattal has acquired a number of immovable assets and is also in control of several money generating businesses held and run in the name of his close relations and family members.

It has surfaced during investigation that he has laundered proceeds of corruption into immovable assets such as a palatial residential house at Karan Nagar, a nursing home at palace Road, two plots at Roop Nagar Jammu Development Authority Colony all in Jammu and a flat at Delhi mostly held in a benami manner in the name of his wife.

Separate investigation has indicated that the combined position of assets of both Mrs and Mr Wattal exceeds their joint income indicating the Wattal has been parking his ill-gotten money in the name of his wife.

The modus operandi of taking loans from financial institutions and then mixing it up with proceeds of corruption in raising these assets to avoid detection has also come to notice and is being investigated.

UNI BAS LS ND1740