Srinagar, Oct 14 (KNO): The Special Crime Wing (SCW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against three Agriculture Department officials for allegedly manipulating service records to secure undue benefits.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said the chargesheet in Case FIR No. 02/2022 was presented before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, against Abdul Rashid Gojri, Helper in the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Beerwah; Manzoor Ahmad Wani, Section Officer in the office of the Chief Agriculture Officer, Budgam; and Peer Abdul Rashid, retired Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO).
The case was registered under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the RPC and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The spokesperson said 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.
During verification, it surfaced that Gojri had allegedly submitted a forged date-of-birth certificate showing his date of birth as February 27, 1973, instead of his actual date of birth, February 27, 1975. Accordingly, an FIR was registered at Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir, now Police Station SCW Kashmir.
Investigation revealed that Gojri was 17 years and two months old when he was initially engaged as a daily wager in the Agriculture Department. The spokesperson said Wani and Peer Abdul Rashid allegedly facilitated the inclusion of the incorrect date of birth in his service records by disregarding directions for document verification, thereby enabling the regularisation of his services.
The spokesperson said the investigation established the offences mentioned in the FIR against all three accused. After obtaining the requisite approval and sanction in respect of the two serving government employees, the chargesheet was presented before the court. The Crime Branch has advised the public to remain vigilant against fraudsters and report such incidents to the department—(KNO)