3 former forest corporation officials booked for graft in J-K

Three former State Forest Corporation officials were booked by State Vigilance Organisation for alleged embezzlement of nearly Rs one crore during timber procurement in Jammu and Kashmir's Leh district.
The case was registered against former Managing Director Abdul Qayoom Khan, ex-General Manager J Frankoi and former Director (Finance) Subash Chandar Sharma, a spokesperson of the SVO said.
Proprietors of timber supplier firms - Green Gold Timber Private Limited, Padana Kutch Gujrat and Abdul Gani Kichloo and Sons, Harnag Anantnag, Kashmir - were also booked following a verification, he said.
In the verification of the procurement of foreign timber for rehabilitation of cloudburst victims of Leh, it was revealed that during October-November 2010, the accused officials in connivance with the suppliers procured 92,000 Cfts of imported timber at "highly exorbitant" rates, he said.

The spokesperson said findings of the verification have prima-facie established the commission of offences under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act and RPC against the accused persons and accordingly a case has been registered.