Rs 2 Cr police funds diversion scam
STATE TIMES NEWS
Funds were diverted to PSO’s account: FIR transferred from Channi Himmat PS to Crime Branch
JAMMU: The alleged diversion of over Rs 2 crore from the official account of JKAP 4th Battalion Security Jammu to the account of a PSO has taken new turn with questions being raised over handling of the investigations in the major scam by Crime Branch’s (CB) Investigation Officer (IO) Dy SP Tahir.
The controversial investigations came under scanner after the case FIR 54/2025, registered at Police Station Channi Himmat on April 4, 2025, was transferred to Crime Branch Jammu.
The FIR was registered following a written complaint submitted on behalf of the then Commandant of JKAP 4th Battalion Security Jammu, Sanjeev Kumar Khajuria, IPS, who reported suspicious financial transactions detected during scrutiny of salary records and bank statements of the battalion.
According to the FIR contents, DySP Suhail Rashid along with Inspector Madan Lal approached the police station and presented a formal letter issued from the headquarters of the battalion seeking registration of a criminal case.
The complaint stated that the Accounts Section of the battalion had been utilizing the services of SgCt Vikas Sharma since July 2024 for handling accounts-related work including Paysys, PFMS operations and maintenance of cash books due to shortage of trained staff. Although a general duty official, he was later formally deployed in the Accounts Section as a computer operator in February 2025 on the recommendation of the In-Charge Accounts.
The matter came to light during verification of tax calculation documents and salary records by a board constituted under the chairmanship of a Deputy Superintendent of Police. During scrutiny of Paysys records it was noticed that Vikas Sharma had received House Rent Allowance during July and August 2024 amounting to Rs 6,354 per month despite having government accommodation allotted to him. However, this amount was shown as zero in the Annual Income Withdrawal Sheet which appeared to have been altered before submission, even though the document is normally auto-generated through the Paysys system.
Further discrepancies were detected while examining salary records for February 2025 when two Head Constables, Chaman Lal and Sanjay Kumar, were found to have received unusually high salary payments. Detailed verification revealed that both had been credited with an unspecified allowance described as “S Allowance” amounting to Rs 1,91,113. Subsequently, this amount was shown as deducted under income tax and welfare fund and the records were edited again to restore the normal salary figures, suggesting manipulation of the Paysys system.
FIR also states that Income Tax Schedule sheets for the same month were edited by altering the tax amounts of the two officials. In the case of Chaman Lal, the income tax figure was changed from Rs 1,50,700 to Rs 50,700, while in the case of Sanjay Kumar the amount was reduced from Rs 1,06,152 to Rs 6,152. Since these tax schedules are auto-generated through the Paysys portal, the changes indicated deliberate tampering with official financial records.
Following these findings, explanations were sought from Sgct Vikas Sharma and ASI (M) Naresh Kumar, who had been serving as Pay Clerk-cum-Cashier in the battalion. A preliminary enquiry into their conduct had already been initiated when further scrutiny of the battalion’s official bank account revealed suspicious transactions.
According to the FIR, while examining bank statements of the battalion’s official account maintained at J&K Bank Gandhi Nagar branch, several heavy transactions were noticed for which no authority letters were available in the office records. When an Accounts Assistant was sent to the bank to obtain the authorization documents, he found ASI Naresh Kumar already present inside the bank’s store room attempting to obtain those authority letters on his own.
Subsequent verification of these documents reportedly revealed fake dispatch numbers and signatures which did not match entries in the battalion’s official dispatch register, suggesting that the letters used to withdraw funds were forged. Further examination of bank records indicated that substantial amounts had been transferred from the government account to personal bank accounts including that of Sgct Vikas Sharma and his wife Nirmal Sharma among others, subject to further verification.
Both officials were subsequently placed under suspension and the battalion authorities sought registration of a criminal case against them for forgery, fraud, criminal breach of trust and misuse of official position. On the basis of the complaint, Police Station Channi Himmat registered FIR 54/2025 under sections 318(4), 316(5), 338, 336(3), 340(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and entrusted the investigation to PSI Rohit Sharma.
However, soon after registration of the case, the investigation was transferred to the Crime Branch Jammu. According to sources familiar with the matter, the case involved financial diversion exceeding Rs 2 crore from the government account of the battalion and some of the transactions were allegedly routed to personal accounts, including that of Vikas Sharma who was also serving as Personal Security Officer to the then SSP. How the SSP and other senior officers can be spared? questions the experts.
Sources claim that the case was transferred to the Crime Branch in unusual haste after the complaint was filed and the probe was taken over by Crime Branch for further investigation. Questions are now being raised over the manner in which the case has been handled by Investigation Officer DySP Tahir of Crime Branch since then.
It is alleged that the Crime Branch has moved quickly to close the enquiry and a partial challan has reportedly been presented before the court within about four months of registration of the FIR, even though several aspects of the case including the full financial trail and possible supervisory lapses have not yet been conclusively examined.
Observers say the probe needs to establish how such large transactions could be executed from a government account using allegedly forged authority letters and manipulated payroll records without systemic oversight. The case has also raised concerns within official circles as the alleged diversion of crores of rupees from a police battalion account points to serious lapses in financial monitoring mechanisms.
With a partial chargesheet already filed while further investigation is said to be continuing, the case remains under watch as questions persist over whether the probe has fully examined all possible angles and responsibilities linked to the alleged diversion of government funds.
