Jammu: A Special Anti-Corruption Court in Anantnag has convicted five former officials of the Food and Supplies Department in a decades-old misappropriation case involving food grains and empty bags.
The case pertains to FIR No. 09/1990 registered at Police Station Vigilance Organisation Kashmir, now known as the Anti Corruption Bureau Jammu and Kashmir. The accused include Abdul Khaliq Shah, Ghulam Nabi Mir, Mohammad Shafi Rather, Ghulam Hassan Hajam, and Muzaffar Ahmad Bichoo, all of whom were serving as storekeepers at various Food Supplies sale centres in Pahalgam and adjoining areas at the time.
According to officials, the court found the accused guilty under Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, and Section 409 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
Each of the convicts has been sentenced to two years of simple imprisonment along with a fine of ₹1 lakh under the Prevention of Corruption Act. In default of payment, they will undergo an additional six months of imprisonment. For the offence under Section 409 RPC, the court awarded three years of simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2 lakh on each convict, with a further one-year imprisonment in case of default.
The case originated from a complaint filed by the Deputy Director, Food and Supplies Department Srinagar on November 2, 1989, alleging embezzlement of food grains and empty bags amounting to ₹3.64 lakh. Following the complaint, an FIR was registered on June 7, 1990.
After investigation, a chargesheet was filed on September 9, 2003, and the matter proceeded for trial. The court had pronounced the conviction on April 20, 2026, and on April 29, it announced the quantum of punishment.
Officials said the conviction marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to ensure accountability and integrity in public service.
