Two tehsil officers among 4 held for corruption in Kathua

Vigilance sleuths in Jammu and Kashmir today arrested four persons including two former tehsil supply officers over corruption charges in Kathua district.
"All the four accused have been taken into custody from Hiranagar and Billawar in district Kathua by the sleuths of SVO (State Vigilance Organisation) and presently lodged in police station pacca danga for sustained questioning," an SVO officer said.
A case was registered in 2012 after a surprise Check conducted by vigilance sleuths regarding allegations of misappropriation of foodgrains by then Billawar Tehsil Supply Officer (TSO) Amar Singh, store keeper Jaswant Singh, salesmen of Malhar & Kindli Depots Lakshman Dass and Bali Ram, the official said.

It was found that during the period of April 2009 to February 2010, food grains and ration received by TSO Billawar from AD CA&PD Kathua for disbursement to different categories of population (APL, BPL and others) living in far flung area of Malhar and Kindli have been misappropriated in connivance with Dass and Ram, he added.
"Further investigations into the matter reveal that the accused officials of CAPD department by abuse of their official positions with ulterior motives entered into criminal conspiracy with each other and misappropriated huge quantity of ration and food-grain items meant for disbursement to the beneficiaries, causing losses to the state exchequer," he added.