SPECIAL CRIME WING (SCW), CRIME BRANCH KASHMIR, FILES CHARGESHEET AGAINST THREE PUBLIC SERVANTS IN FRAUD AND CORRUPTION CASE

Srinagar, Oct 14: In a major development, SCW Kashmir of Crime Branch J&K, presented a chargesheet in Case FIR No. 02/2022, registered u/s 420, 468, 471 and 120-B RPC and 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, before the Hon’ble Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, against three accused: Abdul Rashid Gojri, Helper in the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Beerwah; Manzoor Ahmad Wani, Section Officer in the office of the Chief Agriculture Officer, Budgam; and Peer Abdul Rashid, retired Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO).

The case originated from a communication dated 15.02.2022 received from the Deputy Director Agriculture, Central Kashmir, regarding alleged manipulation of service records by certain officials to obtain undue benefits. During verification, it surfaced that accused Abdul Rashid Gojri had allegedly submitted a forged date-of-birth certificate showing his date of birth as 27.02.1973 instead of his actual date of birth, 27.02.1975. Accordingly, Case FIR No. 02/2022 was registered at Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir, now Police Station SCW Kashmir.

Investigation revealed that accused No. 1 was 17 years and 2 months old at the time of his initial engagement as a daily wager in the Agriculture Department. Accused Nos. 2 and 3 allegedly facilitated the incorporation of the incorrect date of birth into his service records by disregarding directions for document verification, thereby facilitating the regularisation of his services.

During the investigation, offences as per the FIR were established against all three accused. After obtaining the requisite approval and sanction in respect of the two serving government employees, the chargesheet has been presented before the Hon’ble special judge anti-corruption court Srinagar. (STC)