STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday said the Crime Branch’s report into alleged misappropriation of funds by the drawing and disbursement officers (DDOs) of the police department is being examined by the administrative department.
In a reply to a query about alleged misappropriation of Rs 115.68 crore for security related expenditure (SRE), Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti told the Legislative Assembly that the report is under examination in the administrative department. The amount was provided by the Centre to police for ‘Carriage of Constabulary and Hiring of Vehicles’ during 2014 Parliamentary and Assembly elections.
“Pursuant to the accountant general audit regarding alleged misappropriation of government funds committed by some DDOs of the police department in carriage of constabulary and hiring of vehicles during parliamentary and assembly polls in 2014, the director general of police referred the matter to the Crime Branch for holding time-bound enquiry.
“The report of the Crime Branch endorsed by the PHQ (police headquarters) is under examination in the administrative department,” she said.
In the meantime, the matter was referred to the finance department for detailed audit of expenditure incurred in hiring of vehicles under SRE by all police department DDOs during assembly and parliamentary elections in 2014 in a time bound manner, the Chief Minister said.
“The matter is being pursued in the finance department,” Mufti said.
To a supplementary question regarding allowing police officers in Srinagar, who were named in the scam, to conduct the enquiry, she said, “Enquiry was ordered by the director general of police, J&K through the Crime Branch which has furnished its finding in the case.”
The allegations regarding misappropriation of funds will be examined on the receipt of the audit report from the finance department, she said.
