SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu and Kashmir, has registered a case against five officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS and CA) Department and nine Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement and misappropriation of government food grains worth over Rs 5.57 crore in Karnah area of Kupwara district.
According to an ACB spokesperson, FIR No. 02/2026 has been registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla under Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), and Sections 61(2) and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, after obtaining prior approval from the competent authority in the General Administration Department (GAD), Government of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The case was registered following a communication from the Director, FCS and CA Department, Kashmir, seeking criminal action against the officials and FPS dealers after departmental inspections and physical verification allegedly revealed large-scale shortages of government food grains.
The ACB said a joint surprise inspection at Government Sale Centres and Fair Price Shops initially detected a shortage of 4,175.89 quintals of rice at the Lountha Granary in Karnah, Kupwara. A subsequent physical verification conducted by a departmental sub-committee, along with a detailed verification by the ACB, allegedly found substantial shortages at Government Sale Centres and Fair Price Shops falling under the Tangdhar, Karnah-A and Karnah-B circles of Kupwara district.
According to the agency, the alleged shortages resulted in a loss of Rs 5,57,18,657.25 to the government exchequer. The ACB alleged that the losses were caused through a criminal conspiracy involving public servants and private beneficiaries, who allegedly misappropriated government food grains entrusted to them by abusing their official positions for unlawful financial gain.
Based on the material collected during the verification, the ACB registered the FIR for offences relating to criminal misconduct, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of government food grains and criminal conspiracy.
The accused include Umar Bashir alias Raja Umer, then Assistant Storekeeper, Ashiq Hussain Mir, then Assistant Storekeeper, along with 12 other accused comprising public servants and Fair Price Shop dealers.
The ACB said searches are being conducted at multiple locations following the registration of the case, and further legal proceedings have been initiated in accordance with the law. Investigation into the matter is ongoing.
The Bureau reiterated its commitment to combating corruption and safeguarding public resources, while appealing to the public to report instances of corruption through its helpline or official email.
