ACB registers case against Ex BVO, Ex SDO Mendhar , Ors Others on corruption charges

Srinagar: Anti-Corruption Bureau J&K has registered Case FIR no. 03/2020 at P/S ACB Rajouri u/s 5(1)(c), 5(1)(d) r/w section 5(2) of J&K PC Act, Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC against Naresh Kumar Dutta then I/C Block Veterinary officer/SDO Mendhar (now retired), B.C. Sharma, then Block Veterinary Officer/SDO Mendhar, Junaid Hussain, Mohd Zabir Hussain, Mansoor Ali Khan, Sajaad Ahmed (all employees of Sheep Husbandry Department), Mohd Sadiq and Mafooz Ahmed, Liaqat Hayat, Mohd Saleem, Mohd Bashir (driver) and others. A statement issued by the Anti-Corruption Bureau reads as under :
The instant case was registered on the outcome of verification conducted by ACB into the complaint lodged by Dr. K.H. Shah Veterinary Asstt. Surgeon, I.S.D. Block Dhargaloon (Mendhar) alleging therein the non-establishment of even a single Sheep Unit Under Tribal Sub Plan(TSP) Scheme against sanctioned Units during the year 2011-2012 etc. It surfaced during verification that 46 Sheep Units were sanctioned under TSP scheme by the District Development Commissioner Poonch for the year 2011-12 in Block Mendhar/Dhargaloon and amount so sanctioned for establishing 46 sheep Units amounting to ₹479136/- vide cheque no 27230700 was kept at the disposal of then I/C Block Veterinary Officer Mendhar by the District sheep Husbandry Officer Poonch vide letter No. DSHOP/TSP/2011-12/2881-82 dated 28-01-2012. The benefit of scheme as per order dated 06.02.2002, was for nomads of ST community belonging to below poverty line and as per order no. DSW/TWDC/SCA to TSP dated 24-08-2001, the subsidy was fixed maximum to the tune of Rs 10000/- for each sheep unit. Certain conditions were issued by District Sheep Husbandry Officer Poonch vide order No. DSHOP/TSP/2011-12/2881-82 dated 28-01-2012 for implementation of scheme, as per which, it was mandatory that Sheep Husbandry Department must receive ₹30,000/- from the beneficiaries as their share under TSP scheme and ₹10,000/- required to be paid by the department as subsidy component for establishing sheep unit (income generating scheme). The Department must pay the amount to the seller at the rate of ₹40,000/- per sheep unit through cheque and to get the sheep unit secured by way of insurance at the time of purchase of ewes from seller. For insurance ₹416/- was required to be borne by the department whereas ₹574/- by the beneficiaries. But during course of verification, it came to fore that none of the sheep units under TSP Scheme out of 46 sanctioned units for the year 2011-12 has been established in Block Dhargloon/Mendhar.
Verification further reveals that then I/C Block Veterinary Officer Mendhar has neither recovered the beneficiaries share including part of insurance required to be borne by the beneficiaries towards the purchase of ewes nor made the whole payment of ₹40,000/-per sheep unit (including ₹10,000/- as subsidy component) as well as ₹990/- (including ₹416/- as subsidy component for insurance) to the sellers & Insurance company through Cheques. However, the then I/C Block Veterinary Officer/SDO Mendhar namely Naresh Kumar Dutta, by abuse of his official position and in a well knit conspiracy with Junaid Hussain, Mohd Zabir Hussain, Mansoor Ali Khan and Sajaad Ahmed (all employees of Sheep Husbandry Department) and Mohd. Sadiq misappropriated/embezzled the subsidy component to the tune of ₹ 2,50,000/- for establishing 26 numbers of sheep units by manipulating the record, contrary to the conditions of District Sheep Husbandry Officer Poonch by showing them as seller in the year 2012-2013. Similarly the remaining amount of ₹2,19,136/- as subsidy component including insurance part for establishing 20 numbers of sheep units was misappropriated/embezzled by Sh. B.C. Sharma, then Block Veterinary Officer/SDO Mendhar, by abusing his official position and in connivance with Mafooz Ahmed, Liaqat Hayat, Mohd Saleem and Mohd Bashir (driver) in the year 2013-14. As such, total amount of Rs 4,69,136/- has been misappropriated by the above-mentioned public servants and others for the year 2012-13 and 2013-14 which ultimately resulted into loss to the state exchequer. On the prima facie establishment of the allegations, a formal case has been registered against the above named persons and investigation taken up.