Saahil Suhail
PAHALGAM, May 1: Riyaz Ahmad Wani, KAS, the main accused in Multi-crore Kishtwar food scam, who remained in Police custody for more than 48 hours in October 2009, is currently the Chief Executive officer of Pahalgam Development Authority.
Wani, then Assistant Director, CA&PD Department, Anantnag was booked under FIR No 19/2009 in Police Station, Crime Branch Jammu, on 20.8.2009 after the scam was unearthed.
Earlier, Police had registered a case at Police Station Marwah under section 409/109 RPC and arrested the accused, Farooq Ahmed of Barnar Kokernag, who works as in-charge store-keeper in the area.
According to the complaint, the official had misappropriated food grains during dispatches to Marwah Warwan area for the year 2008-09. It was claimed that the store-keeper received 33577.71 quintals of ration at Inshan Guzer base camp vide receipt no. 2895 but the contractor delivered only 32045.54 quintals in the area.
As holding only a Class-IV employee responsible for such a large-scale embezzlement raised many eyebrows, the CA&PD initiated an internal probe. Pursuant to the preliminary enquiry conducted by Department, into the matter relating to misappropriation and embezzlement of food grains meant for distribution among the ration holders of Block Warwan and Marwah of district Kishtwar, an FIR bearing No 19/2009 was registered in Police Station, Crime Branch Jammu.
However, after remaining suspended for around two years, the accused official was reinstated along with Khurshid Ahmad (KAS) then the Deputy Director, CA&PD Department, Anantnag by the Government vide Government Order No. 02-CA&PD of 2013 dated 3.1.2013 but the departmental proceedings against them were pending for their alleged "supervisory lapses". |
