Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 10
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a charge-sheet against 10 people, including two former executive engineers and a private contractor, over alleged financial and procedural irregularities linked to the construction of the Lastiyal-Kalaroose bridge in Kupwara.
The accused include former Executive Engineers Muhammad Sultan Sheikh and Ajit Singh Chopra, several officials of the Public Works (Roads and Buildings) Department’s Kupwara division, and contractor Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone.
The case centres on allegations of misappropriation of government store material, fraudulent release of a security deposit, forgery and abuse of official position.
According to the ACB, the matter emerged from an open verification by the erstwhile Vigilance Organisation Kashmir following allegations that government funds and material had been lost because of alleged collusion between the contractor and officials of the PWD division.
The bridge contract was awarded to Lone in September 2010 with a stipulated completion period of three months.
Investigators alleged that the contractor began the work after a substantial delay, completed only part of the project and subsequently abandoned it.
Government store material, including cement and steel, was allegedly left unaccounted for or was not recovered. The ACB assessed the value of the material at about Rs 5.63 lakh.
The investigation also alleged that a cash deposit receipt worth Rs 73,000 was fraudulently released and encashed based on a forged communication purportedly issued by the competent departmental authority.
In addition, bill deposits totalling Rs 81,400 were allegedly released despite outstanding liabilities owed to the government.
The agency said failures by engineering and accounts officials to safeguard government material, enforce contractual obligations and recover government dues, allegedly in connivance with the contractor, resulted in an estimated total loss of Rs 7,12,150 to the state exchequer.
The chargesheet was filed after the required sanction for prosecution of serving public servants was obtained.
The ACB said its case was supported by oral, documentary, scientific and other evidence collected during the investigation.
The 10 accused are Abdul Majeed Malik, Ghulam Rasool Lone, Muhammad Sultan Sheikh, Ajit Singh Chopra, Nazir Ahmad Shah, Abdul Rashid Dar, Manzoor Ahmad Sumji, Ghulam Qadir Bhat, Abdul Hamid Dar and contractor Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Lone.
All 10 were produced before the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Baramulla, along with the charge-sheet.
The court granted them bail after they furnished bail and surety bonds as directed.
The next hearing has been fixed for November 25, 2026.
The allegations have not been proved in court, and all the accused are presumed innocent unless found guilty through due process.
