ACB produced chargesheet against Bharat Bushan, the then Block Development Officer and Mohinder Singh, the then storekeeper Barnoti, Kathua

Anti Corruption Bureau Jammu presented charge sheet in case FIR No. 20/2012 U/S 5(1) (c) (d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 & 120-B, 201, 409, 467, 468 & 471 RPC registered in P/S VOJ (now ACB) against Mohinder Singh S/o Lochan Singh R/O W.No 15, Patel Nagar, Kathua, the then Storekeeper, Office of Block Development Officer (BDO) Block Barnoti and others.

2. The case was registered on the basis of a verification conducted into allegations of misappropriation of cement/ steel of BDO Block Barnoti during the period 2004 to 2007 by storekeeper Mohinder Singh and others to the tune of ₹9,21,735/- by making false /duplicate issuance entries of cement/steel in favour of different persons and fudging of stock registers. The above mentioned items were shown issued for undertaking work under various departmental schemes, whereas it was actually not issued. The verification has further revealed that, on the basis of departmental assessment made by the then ACD Kathua, a recovery of ₹3,27,918 was made in the month of March 2006 from the accused storekeeper on detection of shortage in the stores.

3. The aforesaid omission and commission on the part of accused public servant namely Mohinder Singh the then storekeeper of BDO Block (CAD) Barnoti constitutes criminal mis-conduct under J&K P.C Act 2006 Svt. and accordingly FIR No. 20/2012 u/s 5(1) (c) (d) r/w 5(2) J&K PC Act Svt. 2006 & 120-B, 409, 467, 468 & 471 RPC was registered in P/S VOJ now ACB Jammu and investigation was set into motion.

4. During investigation, it was found that Bharat Bhushan the then BDO Barnoti attested/ authenticated the fake entries of cement and steel in the stock registers without checking the corresponding Challans. During his posting period w.e.f. 2000-2004 as BDO Block Barnoti, Mohinder Singh the then Storekeeper fabricate the record by getting attested the fake entries of single challan/same challan of Cement bags/steel under different schemes in the stock registers. Mohinder Singh also diverted the material from one scheme to another scheme and issued excess material. Under a conspiracy, the accused BDO and storekeeper caused huge loss to the state exchequer. Thus the loss caused to the state exchequer on account of misappropriation of the material under different schemes was worked out to ₹ 11,63,421/-/-.

5. ACB after thorough investigation submitted the charge sheet of the case as envisaged U/S 173 Cr.PC against the above said accused persons in the Court of Addl. Judge Anti-Corruption Kathua.

6. The next date of hearing has been fixed on 08.12.2020.

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