STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Baramulla has registered a case against officials of Power Development Department (PDD) Division Handwara namely Farooq Ahmad Teli, the then Executive Engineer; Javed Ahmad Waza, the then Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE); Shabir Anmad Wani, the then Junior Engineer; Manzoor Ahmad Chowdhary, the then Junior Engineer and other beneficiaries under section 5 (1) (d) read with sections 5(2) of J&K PC Act Svt: 2006 and section 120-B RPC.
According to ACB, a Joint Surprise Check was conducted to look into allegations of illegal and fraudulent engagements of various Need-Based Workers by officer/officials of PDD Division Handwara etc. The probe has revealed that record regarding Need-Based Workers was not properly maintained by Sub-Divisions of Electric Division Handwara. A total of 159 workers were found recommended by Executive Engineer PDD for regularization since Dec-2018 certifying therein inter-alia that daily wager/PDL/TDL were working continuously from date of engagement, work and conduct remained satisfactory and there was nothing adverse against them. The month-wise and year-wise CV’s of Daily-Wagers/PDL/TDL were also forwarded along with recommendations. A list of 211 workers has also been found prepared and forwarded by PDD Division Handwara after verification to the SE, EM&RE Circle North Sopore and amongst these 211 workers, 159 names had been recommended till 28.11.2020 for regularization. It was found that the list of 211 workers discussed above contained 36 those names, which were not figuring in earlier list submitted to higher-ups.
These 36 officials were paid labour charges for few months only in 2014. They were paid regularly post July 2017 and later on recommended for their regularization while ignoring deserving ones without adopting procedure for their engagement as prescribed in Govt order No. 239 of 2005 dated 29.11.2005, Govt. order No. 43-F of 2015 and circular No. 30-GAD of 2019 dated 29.11.2019 r/w J&K Civil Services (Special Provision Act 2010) wherein contractual/temporary appointment without adopting proper procedure has been restricted/banned.
In this way, involved officers/officials of PDD Division Handwara, abusing their official positions under a well-knit conspiracy, illegally and fraudulently engaged 36 beneficiaries against pecuniary gains without having competence in this regard and later recommended them for regularization by resorting to manipulations of record, thereby conferring undue benefit upon themselves and beneficiaries. Accordingly, FIR No. 27/2022 was registered in Police Station ACB Baramulla against aforementioned officers/officials of PDD Division Handwara and beneficiaries.
