Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar Aug 08 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has tightened its noose as it has registered around 200 cases against corrupt government officials since 2020 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Official figures accessed by Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) reveal that the anti-graft body has registered around 200 cases against corrupt officials for the last two years in Jammu and Kashmir.
These cases have been registered related to misuse of official position, corruption charges, disproportionate assets, illegal compensation, purchase of sub-standard drugs, illegal grant permission to constructions, irregularities in funds, backdoor appointments, and various other wrong doings.
Among them 71 and 61 cases were registered in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
An official of the ACB said that there has been evidence against these officials for having indulged in wrong doings.
“Case is only registered when there is some proof against an accused,” the official said.
“Government has to decide whether an accused official should be given a plum posting or not,” the official added.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has asked the ACB and General Administration Department to use the latest technology and work in collaboration to set new benchmarks in combating corruption.
After the J&K Reorganization Act functions, Anti-Corruption Bureau works on the lines of the Central Vigilance Commission. Ministry of Home Affairs has also repealed the Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011.
Among them are several bureaucrats who have been given plum postings by the government despite their alleged involvement in wrong doings.
Earlier also, many officials faced probes by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and were also suspended. Article 226(2) of the J-K Civil Services Regulations, 1956 allows the government employees to be retired in “public interest” upon completing the 22 years of qualifying service or attaining 48 years of age.
Recently, Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the premature retirement of eight employees of the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) on the charges of corruption under Article 226(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil services Regulations, Departmental Committees of J-K.
The charges against the said eight officers were confirmed by the Departmental Committees and were upheld by the designated review committee under Article 226(2), which includes misappropriation of funds, falsification of records and raising fake bills, allowing illegal constructions, committing financial irregularities and making illegal appointments during their tenure in various Urban Local Bodies (ULBS). (KINS)
