Srinagar: A Special Anti-Corruption Court in Pulwama on Tuesday convicted five persons, including former Education department officials and a beneficiary woman, in a nearly three-decades-old case involving a “fraudulent” appointment of a teacher, sentencing them to up to five years of imprisonment.
The case (FIR No. 110/1998), originally registered by the Vigilance Organisation Kashmir—now the Anti-Corruption Bureau—pertained to the illegal entry of a woman into the Education department through forged documents and a well-planned criminal conspiracy involving insiders.
Delivering the judgment, Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Dr Noor Mohammad Mir, held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, observing that the accused had “subverted the recruitment process, forged public documents and misappropriated public funds for personal gain.”
According to the prosecution, the case surfaced after information revealed that Hamida Akhter of Bijbehara had been working as a teacher at Government High School Goripora, Pulwama, without any valid appointment.
Investigations found that she was never selected by the Services Selection Board and had managed entry into the department using forged appointment, transfer and relieving orders, along with a fabricated service book.
Officials confirmed that a purported district transfer order allegedly issued by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir did not exist. Similarly, the relieving order and Last Pay Certificate (LPC) shown to have been issued by the Zonal Education Office Anantnag were also found to be fake.
Further scrutiny established that Akhter had never served at Government High School Waghama, Bijbehara, or at Primary School Nai Basti, Anantnag, despite entries in official records claiming otherwise.
The court held that the appointment was the result of a criminal conspiracy involving officials posted at Government High School Goripora at the time.
The prosecution established that Rs 60,000 was paid as a bribe by a relative of the beneficiary to secure the job. The amount was allegedly paid in installments through intermediaries who facilitated the illegal appointment by manipulating official records.
Forged service records were prepared and later authenticated through forensic examination, enabling Akhter to draw a salary of Rs 29,952 between November 1997 and April 1998, including arrears.
The court convicted Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh (then Junior Assistant), Bashir Ahmad Shah and Syed Showkeen Andrabi (both orderlies) under provisions of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act and Ranbir Penal Code, including charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery.
Mohammad Ashraf Khan and Hamida Akhter were also found guilty for their role in the conspiracy and related offences. The then Headmaster, Assad-Ullah Lone, named in the case, has since passed away.
All five convicts have been sentenced to five years of simple imprisonment, along with fines ranging from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 under different provisions. The sentences will run concurrently.
While pronouncing the sentence, the court underscored the gravity of corruption in public institutions, particularly in the education sector.
“Corruption is not a victimless crime. It destroys the fabric of trust between the citizen and the State,” the court observed, adding that backdoor appointments deprive deserving candidates and compromise the future of students.
Rejecting pleas for leniency on account of the prolonged trial and advanced age of the accused, the court stressed that deterrence must remain the primary objective in corruption cases.
During the trial, the prosecution examined multiple witnesses, including officials from the Education department, who confirmed that the orders relied upon by the accused did not exist in official records.
Documentary evidence—such as service books, acquaintance rolls and salary registers—was scrutinised, while forensic analysis corroborated that several entries and signatures had been fabricated.
The court also noted that the beneficiary had neither applied for the post nor appeared in any selection process, yet was allowed to join the school and draw a salary.
It further observed that supervisory authorities failed to verify the authenticity of documents, enabling the execution of the fraudulent scheme and resulting in wrongful gain to the accused and loss to the state exchequer.
Following the judgment, the bail bonds of the convicts were cancelled, and those present in court were taken into custody and lodged in Central Jail Srinagar.
The court also directed that Rs 29,952—the amount drawn as salary by the beneficiary woman be recovered and remitted to the Education department as restitution.
