STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has filed an FIR against the J&K Football Association (JKFA) officials for misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 45 lakh received from the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council.
As per the officials of ACB, a preliminary inquiry was conducted after a complaint was lodged by well-wishers of the Football Association through one Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Sopore alleging that funds allotted by the J&K Sports Council and other government and semi-government agencies, for conducting football activities across J&K were misused and the funds sanctioned by the government through J&K Sports Council to organise tournaments like Khelo India and Mufti Memorial Gold Cup were not utilised properly.
“During the investigation, it was found that members of J&K Football Association showed an amount of Rs 43,06,500 paid to Mughal Darbar, Polo View Srinagar (a famous restaurant in Srinagar) for purchase of Biryani as refreshment for the teams. But no such refreshment has ever been given to any team in any district of Kashmir province. The bills raised and placed on record in this regard have been found fake,” the ACB stated in the FIR.
“Similarly, an amount of Rs 1,41,300 was shown paid to Hindustan Photostat for various activities, which during inquiry also were found out to be fake and prepared by resorting to forgery. An amount of Rs 1,01,900 was shown paid to Jan Hardware Tengpora Bye-pass Srinagar which was found non-existing,” the contents of the FIR read.
“During the probe, it was found out that an amount of Rs 43,06,500 has been shown drawn out of Rs 50 lakh budget released for Kashmir division by the J&K Sports Council which on inquiry has been found drawn based on fake and forged bills or documents. It has also been found that the J&K Sports Council released these funds to the J&K Football Association before the commencement of the events without ensuring account for on-ground utilisation and follow up thereupon,” the FIR mentioned. “The probe further revealed that all these bills bear the handwriting of the same person, thus proved forged. The amount has been found drawn by preparing false and fabricated bills by the J&K Football Association members including former JKFA President Zameer Ahmad Thakur, Treasurer S S Bunty, Chief Executive S A Hameed, District President JKFA Fayaz Ahmad, and others,” it said.
ACB registered FIR 30/22 under Sections 5(1) (c), 5(1) (d) read with Section 5(2) of the JK PC Act Svt 2006 and Section 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code in Police Station ACB, SBG Srinagar against JKFA officials including its president Zamir Thakur, treasurer S S Bunty, chief executive S A Hameed, and member Fayaz Ahmad besides others.