The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday carried out multiple actions in Kashmir, targeting significant cases of financial misconduct, disproportionate assets, and illegal permissions. These steps reflect the ACB’s continued efforts to tackle corruption in the region.

The ACB registered a case against two individuals, Javed Ahmad Bhat (Junior Assistant, then In-charge Bill Clerk) and Tawseef Dilshad Zargar (Multi-Tasking Staff, then Assistant to Bill Clerk) of the Tourism Department, for their alleged involvement in a major financial scam in the Accounts Section during 2020–21.

Acting on a written complaint, the ACB conducted a preliminary inquiry that revealed manipulation of the government’s sensitive J&K PaySys software by public servants posted in the Accounts Section. The accused allegedly altered the account numbers of legitimate agencies, replacing them with their own or those of close relatives. This fraudulent practice led to the illegal transfer of government funds into personal accounts, resulting in the misappropriation of public money amounting to several lakhs of rupees.

The inquiry further established that the accused officials, by abusing their official positions and acting in conspiracy with others, conferred undue financial benefits upon themselves at the cost of the state exchequer. 

In a separate development, the ACB produced a chargesheet in a case before the Court of the Special Anti-Corruption Judge, Srinagar, against 14 accused persons. These include 11 officers and officials of the Srinagar Municipal Committee (SMC), one Revenue official and two private beneficiaries, booked for abuse of official position, criminal conspiracy, and conferring undue benefits to private individuals.

The case involved the issuance of a fraudulent building permission in the name of Ghulam Qadir Sofi, who had died in 2008. His son, Mohammad Arif Sofi, allegedly misused this permission to construct a commercial complex, deviating from sanctioned plans and encroaching on adjacent state land by manipulating revenue records. The collusion between SMC officials and revenue authorities exposed systemic corruption in urban planning and land management in Srinagar. The ACB obtained government sanction for prosecution before filing the chargesheet.

In another action, the ACB registered a disproportionate assets (DA) case against Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, an employee of the Animal Husbandry Department and resident of Gassu Batapora, Hazratbal, Srinagar.

Discreet verification revealed that Dar had amassed movable and immovable assets worth crores, disproportionate to his known sources of income. These assets include two palatial houses at Gassu Batapora, a three-storeyed shop in the main market of Gassu Batapora, a large tract of land in Gassu Batapora and adjoining Hadoora, and a luxury Kia Seltos vehicle.

The case was initiated following allegations of unexplained wealth. The ACB conducted searches at three of Dar’s residences in the presence of Executive Magistrates, with search warrants obtained from a competent court. The investigation is ongoing, and searches are continuing to uncover additional evidence.

The ACB in Jammu and Kashmir has been tasked with addressing widespread corruption, which remains a major challenge in the region. These actions highlight the Union Territory administration’s broader push to curb corruption and bring accountability to public offices in Kashmir.