Srinagar/July 11: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Nisar Ahmad Sheikh Ex Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO) Budgam and Gh Rasool Bhat Ex Agriculture Extension Officer(AEO) Budgam for misappropriation in Government funds. Meanwhile sources told Kashmir Horizon that the misappropriation of public funds was reported during the time when Showkat Ahmad Beig was holding the position of Director Agriculture Kashhmir who is presently a member of Jammu & Kashmir Wakf Board on post retirement contractual appointment ordered during the reign of former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik when former top IAS officer Khursheed Ahmad Ganai was holding the position of Vice Chairman J&K Wakf Board as advisor to the then Governor in the year 2018.
A statement issued by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) here on Saturday said that during the investigation in Case FIR No. 02/2018 P/S ACB Anti-Corruption Bureau Kashmir arrested accused namely Nissar Ahmad Sheikh, then then Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam and Gh. Rasool Bhat, the then Agriculture Extension officer Budgam. The ACB statement said ” the instant case was registered in this Bureau on the directions of erstwhile State Vigilance Commission J&K where under this Bureau was directed to investigate the alleged misappropriation in Govt Funds by Chief Agriculture Officer Budgam while his posting in District Budgam”. The ACB in it’s statements disclosed that various awareness training camps in District Budgam for farmers on papers were organised during the year 2016-2017 under Central Govt. sponsored Scheme “NAMET, but It was established during investigation, no such training camps were organized and bills to the tune of Rs. 21 lakh on this count were drawn from the Govt. treasury. It caused huge loss to the State Exchequer on account of misappropriation of funds”.
The ACB statement said that to proceed further into the investigation accused mentioned above were arrested to unearth the modus operandi of siphoning of government funds. Further investigation in the case is going on.Meanwhile sources revealed it Kashmir Horizon that the misappropriation of public funds was reported in the year 2018 when Showkat Ahmad Beig was holding the position of Director Agriculture Kashmir who is presently a member of Jammu & Kashmir Wakf Board on post retirement contractual appointment ordered during the reign of former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik when top retired IAS officer Khursheed Ahmad Ganai was holding the position of Vice Chairman J&K Wakf Board as advisor to the then Governor in the year 2018. The sources said the then Director Agriculture Kashmir Showkat Ahmad Beigh who was himself looking after the allotment of funds to districts was facing allegations of disproportionate allotments among the Chief Agriculture Officers of several districts of Kashmir in the year 2018. Beigh was later elevated to the position of Secretary in the Agriculture Department and on his superannuation the then advisor to the then Governor Khursheed Ahmed Ganai as Vice Chairman J&K Wakf Board ordered his post retirement appointment as member J&K Wakf Board in the year 2018. Beigh continues to hold the position of member J&K Wakf Board even after the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir state to union territory and abrogation of article 370
