Srinagar, Dec 9: In a major breakthrough against white-collar corruption, the Economic Offences Wing (Crime Branch Kashmir) has unearthed a sophisticated rice diversion scam involving senior officials of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, filing a comprehensive charge-sheet before the Court of CJM Sopore in connection with the illegal disappearance of multiple truckloads of government rice.
As per a statement, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch J&K has filed a charge-sheet in case FIR No. 07/2020 under Sections 409, 420, 120-B RPC before the Hon’ble Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, against three officers of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department.
The accused include Siraj-ud-Din Bhat (then TSO PEG Baramulla) S/o Mohd Sideeq Bhat R/o Waripora, Safapora Ganderbal; Mohd Hussain Bhat (then TSO/ Storekeeper Hygam Granary) S/o Abdul Rahim BhatR/o Kichloo, Qazipora Handwara; and Mohammad Shafi Rather @ Shafi Kanda (then TSO HygamGranary) S/o Mohd Sultan Rather R/o Wanigam Pattan, it reads.
The case originated from a communication received from the Directorate of FCS&CA, indicating suspected misappropriation of rice from the Hygam and Baramulla (Centre D) granaries. Acting upon these inputs, a probe was initiated, and the SSP Crime Branch Kashmir ordered a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) to verify the authenticity of dispatches and receipts of food grain consignments, it reads.
Statement further reads that, the JSC uncovered glaring discrepancies. Seven truckloads of rice were shown as dispatched from PEG (Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme) Baramulla under the supervision of FCI officials and the TSO PEG Baramulla. The challans falsely recorded these consignments as received at Hygam Granary and subsequently distributed to sale centres at Wagoora, Nowpora, Kathigan Jathiar, Kalantra, and Dandmoh. However, all these sale centres categorically denied receiving any such stocks, and their official records corroborated this denial.
Further investigation revealed that the challans had been fraudulently procured by Assistant Storekeeper Palhallan Pattan, Mohammad Shafi Rather, from Siraj-ud-Din Bhat, and subsequently managed through TSO Hygam, Mohd Hussain Bhat, statement reads.
The investigation established that the accused officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other and with certain officials of FCI Baramulla, misappropriated a large quantity of rice, causing a substantial pecuniary loss to the state exchequer.
Based on extensive oral and documentary evidence, the offences against the accused stand substantiated. Consequently, the charge-sheet under Section 173 Cr.PC has been submitted before the competent court for judicial determination, it reads.
