Anti Corruption Bureau arrests three engineers for ‘irregularities’ in Hokersar dredging, illegal building permissions

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, APRIL 19 (STC): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three government officials, including two Executive Engineers and an Assistant Executive Engineer, for questioning in connection with two separate cases relating to irregularities in the dredging of Hokersar Wetland and the illegal granting of building permissions in Srinagar.
Addressing a press conference, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) ACB, Javaid Hassan Bhat, said the cases were filed following a thorough investigation into allegations of misuse of authority and manipulation of official procedures.
“In the first case, the ACB initiated an FIR after uncovering serious irregularities during dredging operations at Hokersar Wetland, Narbal. The investigation, sparked by a joint surprise check, revealed that public officials and a private firm – M/S Reach Dredging Limited – colluded to manipulate tendering and work execution, resulting in significant financial loss to the state exchequer and damage to the fragile wetland ecosystem, he said.
Giving further details of the irregularities, the SSP said that the project, originally allotted at over Rs 20 crore, allowed payments for transportation of excavated material that was either not moved as per contract terms or improperly disposed of. “Variations in transport distances and unauthorized alterations in work specifications are believed to have caused a loss of approximately Rs 2.29 crore,” he said.

The detained officials include Siraj-Ud-Din Shah and Ghulam Ahmad Beigh, the then Executive Engineers, and Irfan Ahmad Reshi, the then AEE of the Flood Spill Channel Division, Narbal. The ACB has registered FIR No. 07/2025 in connection with the case.
In a separate development, the ACB registered another FIR (No. 08/2025) over illegal building permissions granted by the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA). Giving details of the case, the SSP said, “The case, based on a complaint from the Intizamia Committee of Masjid Shareef, Gagribal, uncovered unauthorized multi-storey hostel constructions on custodian land by one Iftikhar Sadiq in collusion with officials from LAWDA, the Town Planning Organization, and the Custodian Department.”
The SSP stated that permissions were issued in clear violation of building by-laws, with the constructions deviating significantly from the sanctioned plans and raising concerns over misuse of power for personal gain.
When asked about the time gap between the complaints and action, the SSP attributed the delay to procedural formalities and the loss of departmental records in the 2014 floods. (STC)