STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Three officials were booked on Friday by State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) over a bribery case related to the registration of an NGO in Labour Department under a welfare scheme.
A case registered for the acts of omissions and commissions on the part of Abdul Aziz Bhatti, the then Assistant Commissioner, Poonch; Romesh Chander, process server and Mohd Naseem, caretaker, Labour Department, Poonch and others prima-facia disclose the commission of the offences punishable under Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), a SVO officer said.
A verification conducted by the SVO over the complaint lodged by Patron of JK Sahara Federation into the allegations of demand and acceptance of bribe by the officers and officials of Assistant Labour Commissioner’s office from the labourers of Poonch during the year 2011-12 in lieu of their registration in Labour Department, he said.
It was revealed that the government in order to uplift the economic condition of labour class in running a scheme known as J&K Buildings and other construction workers Board (RE&CS) to provide assistance to labour class for scholarship of their wards, assistance for solemnising marriage of their wards who stand duly registered in the labour department of the district concerned.
The verification revealed that these labourers and beneficiaries have been asked to pay the bribe by officers, officials of Assistant Labour Commissioner’s office, Poonch Abdul Aziz Bhatti, the then Assistant Labour Commissioner Poonch; Romesh Chander, process server and Mohd Naseem, caretaker of Labour Department, Poonch for providing the registration cards, he said.
These officers and officials of Assistant Labour Commissioner’s office, Poonch demanded and accepted Rs 5000, Rs 6000 and Rs 8000 respectively from various beneficiaries and labourers to issue registration cards on their names and thereafter sanction respective assistance in their favour, he added.
