SRINAGAR: The Special Crime Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against three serving and retired Agriculture Department officials in an alleged service-record manipulation and corruption case before the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar.
The accused have been identified as Abdul Rashid Gojri, a helper at the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Beerwah; Manzoor Ahmad Wani, a section officer in the office of the Chief Agriculture Officer, Budgam; and Peer Abdul Rashid, a retired Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer.
According to the Crime Branch, the case originated from a communication dated February 15, 2022, from the Deputy Director Agriculture, Central Kashmir, regarding alleged manipulation of service records by officials to obtain undue benefits.
The investigation found that Gojri had allegedly submitted a forged date-of-birth certificate showing his date of birth as February 27, 1973, instead of February 27, 1975, which the agency identified as his actual date of birth.
The Crime Branch registered FIR No. 02/2022 at the then Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir, now Police Station Special Crime Wing Kashmir, under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The investigation further revealed that Gojri was allegedly 17 years and two months old when he was initially engaged as a daily wager in the Agriculture Department.
Wani and Peer Abdul Rashid allegedly facilitated the incorporation of the incorrect date of birth into Gojri’s service records by disregarding directions for document verification, thereby enabling the regularisation of his services, the Crime Branch said.
The agency said the investigation established the alleged offences against all three accused. The chargesheet was filed after obtaining the requisite approval and sanction in respect of the two serving government employees.
The Crime Branch also urged the public to remain vigilant against fraud and report such incidents to the agency.
