ACB books officials in misappropriation case in J-K's Kishtwar

The Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a case against several officials of the Education department Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district for misappropriation of funds worth lakhs of rupees, a spokesperson of the ACB said.

The FIR was registered against the then officials of education zone on the basis of a verification conducted into the allegations of misappropriation of government funds to the tune of Rs 10.50 lakhs pertaining to cooking cost and honorarium to cooks, he said.

He said the verification conducted revealed that during the financial year 2011-12 then ZEO Marwah Nazir Ahmed Farash, under a well-knit conspiracy hatched with his sub-ordinate then incharge accounts assistant Fiaz Ahmed, issued various cheques amounting to Rs 4.21 lakhs in his name from the official account of Farash out of the funds meant for mid-day meal scheme with the intention to misappropriate the same.

The verification revealed that the said amount stands withdrawn by Farash, but the same has not been disbursed to the concerned, he said, adding that by acting in this manner Farash, under a well-designed conspiracy with Ahmed by abuse of his official position as public servant, issued cheques in the name of Ahmed in violation to mid-day meal guidelines and thus misappropriated the government money, the spokesperson said.

On the basis of the above-mentioned act of omissions and commissions on the part of Farash and Ahmed constitute offences punishable under various sections of the J-K Prevention of Corruption Act and the Ranbir Penal Code.

However, no cognisance is taken against Ahmed, who has already died, he said, adding that investigation into the case has been taken-up.