Embezzlement in purchase of furniture for panchayats in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 14 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation (VO) has unearthed an embezzlement in the purchase of furniture for various panchayat ghars in the Kupwara district.

A VO spokesman said a case has been registered against Wali Muhammad Bhat, former district Panchayat officer Kupwara and his senior assistant Muhammad Munawar Lone involved in the scam.

He said they are allegedly involved in an embezzlement of Rs 6,45,907 during the purchase of furniture items for various Panchayat buildings of various blocks in district Kupwara during 2003-04.

He said the Panchayat officer had placed orders for supply of various furniture items, including wooden beds, chairs, tea-pales, steel almirahs, steel chairs through SICOP with different small scale industrial units.

The furniture was to be delivered directly to the block development officer of the respective blocks.

The district Panchayat officer and his senior assistant entered into a criminal conspiracy with one of the SSI unit M/S Solomon Sussex Chanderhar Pulwama and without delivery and receipt of steel furniture items, the district Panchayat officer released an amount of Rs five lakh in favour of the supplier through SICOP Srinagar and embezzled the cost of furniture items.

He said the district Panchayat officer also withdrew Rs 1,54,300 without accounting for the same.

UNI