ACB registers case against former Xen Irrigation divn Dharmari, Others for drawing huge funds for flood protection

Jammu: The Anti Corruption Bureau(ACB) on Thursday registered a case against Bansi Lal Bhardwaj the then Executive Engineer, Mahore Irrigation Division Dharmari , Reasi and other engineers for incurring huge expenditure in the name of flood protection on both sides of river Chenab: Searches conducted
A statement issued by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday said that a verification conducted by it regarding the allegations of huge expenditure incurred in the name of flood protection on both sides of river Chenab at Reasi, despite the huge loss to life and property caused due to flash floods erupted in September 2014 and February 2015 in the said areas, revealed that 21 flood protection works were executed by then Executive Engineer, Mahore Irrigation Division Dharmari, Reasi on both sides of river Chenab during the year 2010-11 to 2014-15. “The 14 works were randomly checked wherein a substantial loss to the state exchequer stands found in the 06 works so executed on left bank of river Chenab at Chumbia during the year 2010-11 to 2011-12”, the statement reads, adding that “verification further revealed that the flood protection work was allotted to the contractor for an amount of Rs. 23.74 lakh by then Superintending Engineer Hydraulic Circle, Udhampur”.
Stating that the work was started on December 4 in the year 2010 and completed on 22nd June 2011 and payment of Rs. 23, 74,962/- stands made to the contractors, the ACB in it’s statement said however at the same time two more works have been shown to be executed departmentally on the said RD where the contractor had already under taken the work after allotment of contract which was technically not justified. “The concerned officer at site could not explain their position for the said works which was shown as technically sanctioned by the then XEN, Mahore Irrigation Division, Dharmari”, the statement reads, adding that “the approval letter of this work was forged to cover up the execution of works departmentally”.
The ACB in it’s statement further said “the verification has further revealed that the payments/expenditure of Rs. 7,38,626/- and Rs. 3,34,894/- shown to be executed/incurred departmentally by the concerned officers on the above said two works has infact been embezzled/misappropriated by way of fabrication/forging of record in league with each other as well as contractor which ultimately caused wrongful gain to themselves and corresponding loss to the state exchequer”. The ACB in it’s statement further said that a Case FIR No. 04/2020 P/S ACB Udhampur has been registered u/s 5 (1) (c)(d) read with Section 5 (2) J&K PC Act. Svt 2006 and Section 120-B, 409,420,467,468 & 471 RPC on the prima facie establishment of offences against Bansi Lal Bhardwaj the then Executive Engineer, Virender Kumar Khajuria the then AEE and Ravi Kant Khajuria the then JE Mahore Irrigation Division Dharmari, Reasi .Stating that after registration case, searches were conducted during which incriminating material, documents were seized as evidence and scrutiny of record is being conducted” the ACB in it’s statement said “ further investigation of the case is going on” .