STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Yet another major scam has been unearthed in Consumer and Public Distribution (CAPD) Department wherein crores of rupees are being embezzled every day while distributing ration to BPL category people residing in rural and upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir.
In the instant scandal, unearthed by Vigilance Organisation on Monday, the CAPD officers in connivance with their seniors have embezzled over Rs 22 lakh for carriage of excess ration valuing over Rs 50 lakh which was distributed in papers only.
Scores of similar cases registered with the Vigilance Organisation and Crime Branch wings of the Jammu and Kashmir Police are eating dust in the records. In the past over 20 years not even a single CAPD officer or staffer has been convicted, as per the records.
Today, the Vigilance Organisation, Jammu registered FIR 02/2017 against Qurban Ali, Tehsil Supply Officer, Reasi, Rattan Pal, TSO, Ghar Singh, TSO, Ghulam Rasool, TSO and Romesh Chander, Storekeeper, CAPD Department Reasi under sections 5(1)(c)(d) read with 5(2) PC Act Samvat 2006 and Section 120-B, 409, 467, 468 and 471 RPC for their involvement in misappropriation of huge amount.
The SVO verification revealed that during the period 2010-11 ration consignments under different categories viz APL, BPL and AAY have been shown dispatched in excess than the allotted quota to different sale depots of Tehsil and District Reasi on papers only without having actually dispatched the same, as such on account of excess ration, carriage charges have been shown incurred and thereby fraudulently drawn.
The verification further revealed that these officers in active conspiracy with each other and with the ration dealers/sale depot holders by abusing their official positions have resorted to falsification of records thereby have drawn an amount of Rs 22,84,284 on account of carriage charges of excess quota of ration shown issued to the dealers/sales depots and amount of Rs. 50, 26,945 drawn and embezzled on account of excess ration shown released to sale depots/ration ration dealers.
In this manner they by acting in league with one another and with the ration dealers/ sales depots holders have caused wrongful gain to themselves and others with corresponding loss to the State exchequer. The investigation of the case has been set in motion
