Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 31 : The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday produced a chargesheet against Mohd Farooq, then Junior Assistant and dealing hand for Mid Day Meal (MDM) in the office of Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Manjakote, in a case involving alleged misappropriation of MDM rice and cooking costs The chargesheet was filed in FIR No. 26/2018 registered under Sections 5(1)(c), 5(1)(d) read with 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and Sections 465, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B RPC.
The case was registered on December 28, 2018, at Police Station VOJ, now ACB-J, following a verification that revealed alleged misappropriation of MDM rice pertaining to the fourth quarter of 2014-15 in Zone Manjakote.
According to the ACB, investigation and scrutiny of the records, along with the opinion of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), prima facie established that Shah Nawaz Khan, then ZEO Manjakote, and Mohd Farooq, then Junior Assistant and dealing hand for MDM, allegedly abused their official positions and prepared fake, forged and fabricated indents and authority letters by manipulating official records.
The investigation found that 256.40 quintals of rice, valued at Rs 8,03,557.60, meant for the MDM scheme was allegedly misappropriated. An additional Rs 4,61,578 on account of cooking costs was also allegedly misappropriated, causing a total loss of Rs 12,65,135.60 to the state exchequer.
The ACB said Shah Nawaz Khan has since died and, accordingly, prosecution proceedings against him could not be launched. Sanction for prosecution of the serving accused, Mohd Farooq, was obtained from the competent authority.
The ACB subsequently produced the chargesheet against Farooq before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Rajouri, on August 31, 2026.
The court has fixed September 29, 2026 as the next date of hearing. |
