Baramulla, June 25:The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet before the Hon’ble Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla, against five retired education department officials, including two former In-charge Zonal Education Officers (ZEO) of Kunzer, for misappropriation and embezzlement of government funds amounting to ₹26.87 lakh during the period 2007–2010.
The charge sheet has been filed against Abdul Hamid (then In-charge ZEO Kunzer), Noor Mohammad Parray (then In-charge ZEO Kunzer), Hilal Ahmad Mir (then Senior Assistant), Nazir Ahmad Rather (then Head Teacher, GMS Gonipora), and Mohammad Yousuf Wani (then Head Teacher, GMS Sagri Batpora), following detailed investigations initiated after a special audit report revealed serious financial irregularities in the office of the ZEO Kunzer.
The verification was initiated on the basis of an audit conducted by the Deputy Director Audit & Inspections Kashmir for the period April 2007 to March 2012. The findings, which were forwarded by the Chief Education Officer Baramulla to the Commissioner of Vigilance, pointed towards grave financial irregularities including fake vouchers, fictitious bills, and double withdrawals.
On the culmination of the verification, FIR No. 01/2015 was registered at Police Station Vigilance Organization Kashmir (now ACB) under Sections 5(1)(c), 5(1)(d) read with 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006, and Section 120-B RPC.
According to the ACB, the accused, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy, misappropriated funds under various heads, including:
₹11.15 lakh through excess drawl against GP Fund/SLI of teachers,
₹5.34 lakh through double drawl of pay,
₹4.92 lakh through fictitious vouchers,
₹41,7592 as discrepancy in non-plan account balances,
and other amounts on account of mobile bills, handset purchases, Red Cross and building funds, and fictitious TA bills.
The total embezzled amount was found to be ₹26,87,307.
Investigations have established that the accused public servants, in collusion with each other, grossly misused their official positions and violated financial norms to siphon off public money for personal gains.
All five accused were produced before the Hon’ble Court and later released on personal bail bonds. The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for August 30, 2025.
The ACB has reiterated its commitment to rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability in public offices.
