K Koushal
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 30: The menace of corruption continues to bother common masses in the state, as in comparison to the previous four years, the corruption index in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed steep rise this year. A total number of 77 cases have been registered across the state this year as compared t 36 during last year.
As per official record of the J&K State Vigilance Organization (SVO) as many as 77 cases of corruption, including 34 in Jammu and 43 in Kashmir, against government employees stand registered with the organization this year and all of them are under investigation.
The number of registered cases this year has surpassed all the previous figures of last four years, registering more than 100 percent increase. In 2013, the number of registered cases in the state were 36, including 17 in Jammu and 19 in Kashmir, with 34 still under investigation.
Meanwhile, the number of cases in 2011 and 2012 remained 56 and 62, respectively and many of them are still under investigation.
As per official data of the SVO , the first month of the year witnessed registration of four corruption cases, including case against the cashier of Social Welfare department for demanding bribe of Rs 2000 from complainant, five officials of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) for misuse of official position and four officials of revenue department in Pochal Halqa for fraudulent mutation of land and senior supervisor of Khadi Village Industries (KVI) for demanding and accepting Rs 5000 from the complainant.
In February two cases were registered against government officials, including officials of revenue and JDA department for illegal permission of owner rights.
In April 2014, five cases were registered against government officials, including Director of Urban Local Bodies for illegal appointments in Municipal Council and Transport Commissioner, who was caught red handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 5000. Six persons including three tehsildars were charged for issuing fraud and fabricated Fard Inthikhab, Naib tehsildar of Katra was charged for disproportionate assets beyond known sources of income.
In May five corruption cases were registered, including against Girdawar of Bishnah for taking bribe, tehsildar of Samba District for fraudulent sale of land and collector among three revenue officials.
Five cases were registered in June, 2014, against seven officials of JDA for illegal allotment and grabbing of land, JKPCC DGM for bogus issuance of PRC and Junior Engineer of Billawar division for taking bribe.
One each corruption case was registered in the month of July, August and September against officials of Handloom Development Project for causing loss to state exchequer, principal of SPMR College in purchase of software's on exorbitant rates and Naib Tehsildar of Manda for issuing fraudulent Fard.
As per official records, in October five corruption cases were registered against cashier of Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar for misusing official position and officials of Social Forestry for misappropriation of funds.
In December, five cases were registered, including against Chief Education Officer and police Inspector-Ramnagar for misuse of official position officials of RDD Marwah-Kishtwar for misappropriation during execution of various projects, Chief Engineer of PWD regarding collapse of bridge pillars and medical superintendent of Kathua hospital for taking bribe.
Similarly corruption cases registered in Kashmir province during 2014 started with two corruption cases were registered in the first month against, officials of electric division and Engineer of Ganderbal.
In February three corruption cases were registered, against senior Assistant Animal Husbandry, Public Prosecutor (LAW) and Jr Assistant Power Development Corporation Sopore for taking bribe.
March 2014 also witnessed three corruption cases, including one against officials of R&B for purchase of sub-standard and underweight material, ZEO of Budgam for issuance of fake and fabricated appointment orders and S.O, electric sub division, (M&RE) Sopore for disproportionate assets.
In April 2014, five cases were registered against officials, including patwari for taking bribe, three employees for shifting shelter at Kupwara without approval of concerned authority and clerk of anticorruption court, Kashmir for misuse of official position.
In May six cases were registered against Tehsildar and junior assistant for taking bribe in Pulwama, officials of Education Department for misappropriation of funds, Managing Director of state forest corporation for fraudulent appointments and officials of revenue department for misuse of official position and transferring land under Roshni Act.
In June eight cases were registered against Irrigation and CA&PD officials for misappropriation of funds, custodian general in illegal appointment, soil conservation officer and BMO Beerwah for misappropriation of government money and officials of revenue department Ganderbal for misusing official position.
Meanwhile, four cases were registered in July against the government officials, including fraudulent and illegal appointment of CPWS in municipal committee Achabal, embezzlement of government funds released under SSA scheme in Boniyaar, BDO official caught red handed taking bribe and illegal appointments in Municipal Committee Mattan.
In August three cases were registered against government officials, including patwari, halqa Lethpora Pampore and officials of revenue Nazool department for manipulation of records by abusing official position.
In October five cases were registered against AEE, Dodhpatri Development Authority, Budgam for taking bribe, XEN I&FC department for defrauding state exchequer, DSWO Kupwara for illegal appointments, Junior Assistant Municipality for disproportionate assets and Municipality officials for taking bribe.
Two cases each in November and December were registered against Horticulture Development officer Kokernag, senior assistant medical officer Trehgam and patwari, halqa Dangam for demanding and accepting bribe and officials of PHE for misappropriation of government funds. |
