The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu and Kashmir has filed a charge-sheet against seven individuals, including former Rural Development Department officials and a contractor, in a case involving alleged embezzlement of government funds in the Lolab/Lalpora area of Kupwara district.
The charge-sheet was submitted before the Court of Special Judge (Anti-Corruption), Baramulla, in FIR No. 02/2020 registered at ACB Police Station Baramulla. The case involves allegations of corruption, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and misappropriation of public funds linked to development works.
The investigation stemmed from complaints of irregularities in projects executed under the Rural Development Department. Subsequent verification uncovered serious violations, including false measurements, billing for non-existent work, and execution of projects on forest land without mandatory approvals.
Key projects under scrutiny included the construction of a sarband at Margi Diver (Kariwan) Phase-I and a fisheries pond at Diver-B. Authorities also found that payments were released despite substandard execution and missing physical work.
Investigators further revealed that officials allegedly conspired with a contractor to manipulate records, inflate project measurements, and create fictitious entries to justify illegal fund disbursement, including false claims of tree felling.
Following prosecution approval, the ACB charge-sheeted former Block Development Officer Sogam/Lalpora Mohd. Sultan Bhat, former Executive Engineer REW Kupwara Surinder Kumar Sharma, former Assistant Executive Engineer Mohd. Shafi Bukhari, junior engineers Taimur Ahmad Khan and Nisar Ahmad Khan, Village Level Worker/Panchayat Secretary Mohd. Saleem Dar, and contractor Waseem Mehmood Khan.
All accused have been released on bail after furnishing personal bonds. The court has fixed August 25, 2026, as the next date of hearing.
The ACB reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparent, impartial, and time-bound investigations into corruption cases involving public funds.
