Vigilance sleuths raid properties of former PRO of Dy CM

The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today raided several properties of Kewal Sharma, a former PRO of an ex-Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister, and seized movable and immoveable items along with documents in an alleged disproportionate assets case.
"Vigilance teams under the supervision of SSP Vigilance, Jammu, conducted searches at four houses in the presence of independent witnesses and magistrates with regard to Sharma's disproportionate assets case," an SVO spokesman said.
The teams raided a house belonging to Sharma -- who had served as the deputy chief minister's PRO under the National Conference-Congress dispensation -- at Patta Paloura, his ancestral house at Kachrial, Khour, Jammu, another house at Kachrial, and a property at Migrant Colony (Gurah Jageer- Paluwan), Akhnoor, he said.

Verification was conducted by SVO for inquiring into allegations against Kewal Krishan Sharma (who is a forest guard by profession) pertaining to his amassing of property, wealth and moveable and immoveable assets disproportionate to his known sources of income via corrupt and illegal practices, he said.
The houses came up in the verification along with 17 marla land in Patta Paloura, Jammu, he said.
It was further revealed during inquiries that the accused owns different bank accounts in his name and in the names of his son and close relative wherein transactions of more than Rs 4 crore have taken place during in a two-year period (2013-2014), he said.

The accused purchased luxury vehicles and commercial vehicles allegedly in a mostly benami manner, the spokesman said.
Further, Sharma was alleged to have made several foreign visits in violation of service rules and norms which entailed huge expenses, he added.
Subsequent to this verification, an FIR has been registered in Vigilance Organisation, Jammu against the accused.