ACB Files Chargesheet Against 39 FCS&CA Officials, Flour Mill Owners

Srinagar: Anti Corruption Bureau on Thursday produced a chargesheet against 39 persons, which include Assistant Directors, Tehsil Supply Officers, Supervisors, Storekeepers, Ration Dealers of FCS&CA and flour Mill Owners, for ‘misappropriation of ration.’
“Anti-Corruption Bureau produced a charge sheet before Learned Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu in case FIR No. 14/2006 P/S VOJ (now ACB-Jammu) under section 5 (1) (d) r/w section 5 (2) PC Act, 2006 BK and 120-B and Section 467, 468, 471 and 120-B RPC against total 39 accused persons including Ashok Kumar Pandita the then Assistant Director Mills Jammu and other public servants including various the then Assistant Directors, then Tehsil Supply Officers, Supervisors, Storekeepers, Ration Dealers of FCS&CA Jammu and private beneficiaries i.e. Flour Mill Owners”, reads a Bureau statement issued to GNS.
“The instant case was registered on basis of JSC wherein it was alleged that the ration under (BPL) Below Poverty Line, (AAY) Antodya Anna Yojna and (APS) Annapurna Schemes has been drawn in excess ration in Tehsil Jammu Rural by fraudulent means and was sold in the open market”, the statement reads adding joint surprise check was conducted on the allegations of excess drawl of ration under below poverty line, Antyodaya Anna Yojna and Annapurna schemes and fraudulent sale of excess drawn ration in the market in Tehsil Jammu Rural, which consisted of four blocks namely Block Marh, Satwari, Bhalwal and Dhansal revealed that Gopal Dass Sharma by acting in league with K.K Gandotra and others during the year 2004-2005, had fraudulently and dishonestly drawn ration viz 95007.72 qtls of Rice, 136331.03 qtls. of Wheat and 35834.69 qtls. of Atta under BPL and AAY schemes on subsidized rates during the year 2004-05 as against the actual requirement of 48,723 qtls. of rice and 48,723 qtls. of wheat only”, as per the statement.
The entire quantity of food grains, it reads, was drawn in excess of the actual requirements under said schemes had fraudulently and dishonestly been shown issued to ration dealers who were either non-existent or had denied having received any ration in excess of the actual requirements under said schemes during the year 2004-05 and stood disposed of by above named public servants to confer undue benefit upon themselves to the tune of Rs 6, 08, 91,039/-. In a similar manner from Nov. 2004 to March 2005 Gopal Dass Sharma & K.K Gandotra and others had also drawn excess quantity of 601 qtls. of rice on account of ration meant for distribution free of cost among the rationees categorized under Annapurna scheme and fraudulently/dishonestly shown issued to various non-existent ration dealers and misappropriated Rs 5, 40,900/- as cost of rice.
‘The above named public servants in this manner while abusing their official position in league with each other had conferred upon themselves undue pecuniary advantage of Rs. 6,14,31,939/- thereby causing corresponding loss to the State exchequer. The allegations leveled in the JSC were substantiated and accordingly the Vigilance Organization, Jammu (now ACB) registered the instant FIR under section 5(1) (d) r/w section 5(2) PC Act, 2006 BK and 120-B RPC against Gopal Dass Sharma (now expired), the then A.D. Trade and Stores CAPD Jammu, K.K Gandotra (now expired), the then Tehsil Supply Officer CAPD Jammu & others.’
“During the course of investigation, it has been established that the accused public servants have by abuse of their official position and in furtherance of criminal conspiracy with private beneficiaries/Mill Owners have caused loss to the tune of Rs.6,36,39,077/- to the state exchequer for their pecuniary benefits, which constitute commission of offences punishable under section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (2) J&K PC Act. Svt. 2006 and sections 467,468,471 and 120-B RPC has been established against them”, the statement reads.
“After completion of investigation, and after obtaining necessary prosecution sanction against accused in service public servants, a charge sheet for commission of offences under section 5 (1) (d) r/w section 5 (2) PC Act, 2006 BK and Section 467, 468, 471 and 120-B RPC against total 39 accused persons was presented before the Hon’ble Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu for judicial determination today on 06.01.2022 and the next date of hearing in the instant case FIR has been fixed on 04.02.2022”, it concluded. (GNS)