Srinagar, Aug 08: An Anti-Corruption here has granted interim bail till August 14 to the Power Development Department (PDD) employees accused of fraudulently withdrawing crores of rupees from the public exchequer.
The court while admitting interim bail to the accused – Senior Assistant Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, son of Late Sonaullah Malik of Argam Bandipora and Rayaz Ahmad Wani, son of Farooq Ahmad Wani of Safapora till August 14 subject to them filing the bail bonds of Rs 1.00 lakh with two surety bonds each.
The public prosecutor objected the bail application of the accused on the ground that any concession of bail in favour of the petitioner at this time shall hamper the investigation as huge amounts have been recovered since the detention of the accused and their custody shall be helpful in concluding the investigation in the case.
However, the counsel for the accused argued that “the big fish, who are actually involved in the case, are roaming free and petitioners belongings to the clerical cadre have been implicated, who in fact have not done any act as alleged in the police report.”
Earlier Crime Branch had received a complaint against a Senior Assistant in the office of Executive Engineer, Electric Division Sumbal, alleging that the official had drawn bills of the department amounting to crores of rupees and credited the same into his personal account and the accounts of his family members in different banks.
The investigation was taken up and the accused were arrested on July 07, 2018 by Crime Branch Kashmir under FIR 25/2018 for the offences under section 420 RPC and r/w 5(2) PC Act which revealed that the accused were also involved in the scam for fraudulently withdrawing lakhs of rupees from the public exchequer.
The court observed that the accused “has transferred Rs 575 lakh in his account, Rs 113.90 lakh in the account of his wife, Rs 73,500 was recovered on his personal search along with the pay slips showing deposit and transfer of Rs 18.5 lakh more. More amounts is to be recovered from the petitioner as reflected from the case dairy file (produced by the crime branch).”
