SRINAGAR: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, in connection with an alleged scam involving the illegal allotment of a municipal building in Budgam in central kashmir.
According to officials, the chargesheet pertains to FIR No. 03/2022 and has been filed under Sections 420 (cheating), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), read with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Three persons have been named as accused in the case.
Those chargesheeted include Gh Mohi-ud-Din Dar, former President of the Municipal Committee Budgam, son of Gh Qadir and resident of Khanpora, Budgam; Gh Mohammad Mir, son of Ali Mohammad Mir of Budgam; and Abdul Majid Bhat, son of Mohammad Akbar Bhat, also a resident of Budgam.
The case originated from a complaint alleging large-scale embezzlement and the illegal allotment of a government-owned municipal building belonging to the Municipal Committee Budgam. Investigations revealed that the then president of the municipal committee had allegedly misused and abused his official position to extend undue and wrongful benefits to co-accused Gh Mohammad Mir.
Investigators found that the allotment order, which was purportedly issued on the basis of a Municipal Committee resolution and approval from the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir, was forged and had no legal existence. The probe established that the accused had entered into a criminal conspiracy and prepared fake documents, including a forged allotment order, without any lawful authority or approval.
During the course of investigation, all three accused were examined and reportedly admitted their roles in the execution of a partnership deed, a dissolution deed and the issuance of the forged allotment order, officials said.
On the basis of oral and documentary evidence collected during the probe, offences under Sections 120-B, 420 and 468 of the RPC have been established against all the accused. In addition, the former president of the Municipal Committee Budgam has been charged under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for abuse of official position.
The chargesheet has now been submitted before the competent court for judicial adjudication.
