Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 27: Special Judge Anticorruption (CBI cases), Suresh Sharma today rejected the bail application of F Z A Bhatti, Chairman/ MD/ Secretary of M/s National Foundation and M/s United Handicraft Self Help Group Federation Industrial Cooperative Ltd and a self styled political and social activist. He was handed over to CBI in a case of mis-appropriation of Government funds to the tune of more than Rs 74 lakh.
According to the CBI case, during the period between 2006 and 2013, V K Mahajan, V K Savita, Som Nath, the then Assistant Directors, Handicrafts M&SEC in connivance with the NGO and other unknown persons, siphoned off Government funds to the tune of Rs 74.72 lakh.
NGO under the name and style of M/s National Foundation operational in villages of district Rajouri, was sanctioned different projects by Ministry of Textiles. The Chairman/MD/Secretary of the NGO Zaheer Abass Bhatti in connivance with VK Mahajan, VK Savita and Som Nath, the then Assistant Directors Handicrafts M&SEC misappropriated Rs 74.72 lakh.
After pursuing the CD of Investigating Officer, Rafiq Ahmed, DySP CBI and hearing Special PP KS Pathania for the CBI whereas Advocate Ajay Vaid for the accused, Special Judge Anticorruption (CBI cases) Suresh Sharma observed, “the accused is allegedly involved in a huge financial scam having committed a fraud in the amount of Rs 74, 72,000, which was meant for the training and imparting skills to the artisans in the rural areas of the state”.
“All dimensions of this scam require in-depth investigation. It is not possible unless the truth is elicited from the accused on the material aspects of the case. As such, the custodial investigation of the accused is imperative, at this stage”, the court said, adding “it will be just and proper to hand over the accused to CBI for custodial investigation so that the investigation of the FIR is taken to its logical conclusion”.
With these observations, court rejected the bail application and handed over the accused to CBI.