J&K official caught with bribe money, challans against two

Srinagar, Feb 25 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Vigilance Organisation (VO) has caught a revenue official while accepting a bribe and produced challan against two social welfare department officials under prevention of corruption act.

A VO spokesman said the challan was produced by the Court of Special Judge Anti Corruption Kashmir Srinagar against former Tehsil Social Welfare Officer Bandipora Abdul Samad Najar and his Assistant Bashir Ahmad Khan for misappropriation of over Rs 16.20 lakhs sanctioned by the government under various Social Security Schemes during 2003-04, He said the accused officials have misappropriated a large amount of government money sanctioned under the Integrated Social Security Scheme and National Old Age Pension Scheme in Tehsil Bandipora.

The accused officials have shown the disbursement of money to the tune of Rs 16,20634 among the beneficiaries through post office money orders. However, when the records of Post Office were checked it was found no money orders were booked.

It was also revealed the officials prepared disbursement records by manipulating the thumb impressions of the beneficiaries.

These records were got examined by the Forensic Experts who opined these were fake and fictitious. After completion of the investigation and accord of sanction of prosecution by the government the challan of the case was produced in the court.

He said a written complaint was received from one Mohammad Maqbool Sofi that office Patwari of Naib Tehsildar office in Baramulla is demanding bribe for processing the Resident of Backward Area (RBA) certificates in favour of his three sons for which he had applied.

He said an FIR was registered and investigation taken up.

In the course of investigation, he said, the vigilance team was deputed to Naib Tehsildar office Baramulla who laid a successful trap during which Ms Rifat Ara was caught red handed while accepting an amount of Rs 1500 as illegal gratification from the complainant.

The tainted money and the file regarding the issue of RBA certificate in favour of the sons of the complainant was recovered from her possession in presence of independent witnesses.

UNI