Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 29: The State High Court today directed the police to inform it about the status and stage of First Information Report (FIR) registered in much publicized multi-crore scam in PHE division Handwara as also the status of challan filed against the erring officials in the scam.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justi Alok Aradhe while hearing PIL on much publicized multi-crore scam in PHE division Handwara in which various employees from the rank of Executive Engineer to Junior Engineer are under suspension and facing trial, directed the details and stage of FIR registered in the scam be informed to the Court by the senior police officer of the rank of SSP by next date.
Court also directed that in case the challan has been submitted before the Court of law, the progress and stage of the challan be also submitted to the Court on next date of hearing along with the details of those persons against whom challan has been produced.
Observing that those who have embezzled the public exchequer and who are involved in providing the contaminated water to general masses shall not be spared and they be prosecuted before the Court of law, the Court as such sought the information about the schemes towards which these funds were released.
Court has also directed the Public Health Engineering Department to apprise the Court about the process and details of disciplinary action taken against the erring officials of the department who were involved in the scam.
These directions followed after the Court was informed that there was no progress so far as investigation in the FIR is concerned and department has also not taken any disciplinary action against the erring officials except their suspension.
FIR in the scam was registered in police station Handwara after the scam surfaced in PHE department of Handwara Division way back in the year 2014 and immediately a PIL was filed before the court seeking probe into the scam and booking the erring officials.
Apart from investigation conducted by the Crime Branch in the scam, Commissioner /Secretary to Government, Irrigation and Flood Control and PHE Department was earlier directed to report to the court about the departmental enquiry initiated against the delinquent officials involved in the scam.
The drinking water scheme in Handwara division was carried under National Rural Drinking Water Program (NRDWP) but the amount which was to be incurred on the scheme was embezzled by the officials of PHE department due to which the project had not been completed and today extending the scope of the PIL court directed for appraisal of other water schemes in the Valley from the CE.
Court today also directed for the information with regard to execution of water schemes, break-up of works undertaken and names of those officials who are executing these schemes.
It may be mentioned here that approximately Rs 45 crores of money has been swindled, which was meant for the scheme launched under NRDWP to provide the drinking water to the people of district Handwara and its adjoining hilly areas.
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