ACB seals properties worth crores of rupees in DA case in Kashmir

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has sealed properties, including gold jewellery and coins, worth crores of rupees belonging to a former assistant road transport officer in a disproportionate assets case, officials said on Friday.

The action was taken against Abdul Majeed Bhat, who has served as ARTO Shopian and Pulwama (additional charge), they said.

On the basis of specific information, it had surfaced that Bhat allegedly accumulated huge amount of movable as well as immovable assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, the ACB officials said.

They said Bhat allegedly abused his official position to issue illegal driving licenses, clear illegal registrations and made fraud voucher payments and amassed the property by investing the proceeds of his ill-gotten money, they said.

The movable and immovable properties raised by the suspect include two houses at Srinagar, a manufacturing unit for empty apples boxes at Hariparigam, Dawat Restaurant at Awantipora, vehicles worth lakhs of rupees and other residential houses in Kashmir, they said.

They said the official parked the alleged ill-gotten money in the form of FDRs in the name of his children, they said.

The assets were alleged to have been amassed out of the proceeds of ill-gotten money obtained through corrupt practices, they added.

An FIR was registered against Bhat for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, they added.

Raids were conducted at the said locations including three houses of the accused in pursuance of a search warrant issued by Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar on Thursday, they said.

A huge amount of cash Rs 34,13,300, Rs 9,90,000 (old demonetized currency), gold ornaments weighting 548 grams, 13 gold coins (big size), a licensed pistol and other relevant documents were seized.

The authorities have sealed two houses along with the land at Rose Lane Colony and Govt Housing Colony Bagh-e-Mehtab, gold ornaments, gold coins, a huge amount of cash, and attachment order was accordingly issued, they said.