Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 9: The Economic Offences Wing – Crime Branch Jammu has filed a comprehensive 496-page preliminary charge-sheet against four accused, including the prime accused Saleem Yousaf Bhatti, in a Rs. 5 Crore fraud case involving J&K Bank. The case (FIR No. 86/2023) is registered under sections 419, 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, 120-B/IPC at the Crime Branch Jammu The prime accused, Saleem Yousaf Bhatti, formerly employed on a contractual basis with the Integrated Water Shed Management Programme Department in Poonch, allegedly executed a criminal conspiracy to swindle funds from different branches of J&K Bank, particularly in District Poonch. The fraudulent activities involved obtaining loans of various types under the pretext of a Government Scheme related to the Integrated Water Management Programme meant for District Poonch.
Accused details: Saleem Yousaf Bhatti (Prime Accused), Mohammad Altaf, Ruksana Tabassum and Zahida Parveen.
The case began with a complaint filed by the Chief Manager of S&C Division at the Zonal Office of J&K Bank Ltd. Jammu. It alleged that Saleem Yousaf Bhatti and others had illegally activated inactive accounts of the Water Shed Committee at J&K Bank Branch Lassana, Surankote Poonch. The accused changed the nomenclature of the accounts and fabricated fake salary certificates and confirmation letters for non-existing employees. They managed to secure personal loans, cash credit loans, and car loans by falsely presenting themselves as government employees.
The accused opened fraudulent government accounts at J&K Bank Branch Office Mendhar and Branch Office Bus stand Mendhar. Money was deposited through different banks/branches into the accounts of the Water Shed Committee and the fake accounts. The accused issued fake authority letters instructing branches to disburse and credit salaries to individual accounts, projected as government employees. Subsequently, they obtained loans from various other branches of the bank, resulting in a wrongful loss to the tune of approximately Rs. 5 Crores.
Following the preliminary verification, a formal case was registered, and a detailed investigation ensued. Relevant records were seized, witness statements recorded, and scientific and circumstantial evidence collected. Offences under various sections of the IPC were established against the prime accused and others involved in the fraudulent activities. The investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend other individuals connected to the crime. The loans obtained through these fraudulent means are now categorized as Non-Performing Assets (NPA) of J&K Bank. |
