Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 30: Special Judge Anticorruption Srinagar has rejected the bail application of Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat, Senior Assistant in Advocate General’s office, who was arrested by the Crime Branch in alleged fake recruitment scam.
The FIR was registered after receipt of a communication from Z A Dewani (Administrative Officer in the office of Advocate General) alleging therein that fake orders bearing Nos 76 AG of 2021 and 79 AG of 2021 dated 13.07.2021 are being circulated on social media showing the selection of 33 persons as Junior Assistants and other 33 persons as Orderlies, however, no such orders have been issued by the office of the Advocate General, J&K.
Accordingly, an enquiry was initiated at Crime Branch Kashmir and during the probe, it came to fore that some touts conspired with Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat (Senior Assistant) posted in the office of the Advocate General, who have lured the candidates on the fake promise of providing jobs. During probe it also surfaced that some beneficiaries have transferred huge amount of money in the account maintained in the name of Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat.
After hearing both the sides, the court observed, “petitioner/accused in capacity of Senior Assistant Administrative Section Advocate General office, Srinagar has abused his official position, hatched criminal conspiracy along with other officials and is alleged to have lured gullible candidates to pay illegal gratification into his account on the pretext of providing them Government jobs”.
“The police report reveals that huge amount was credited into the account of Ruqiya Bano, Watch & Ward in AG’s office Srinagar and subsequently transferred the amount to account of accused Mohammad Yaqoob Bhat on number of dates”, the court said, adding “the statement of some candidates have been recorded in the investigation which also reveals that the candidates have paid an amount of Rs 3 to 4 lakh each into the account. The investigation of the case is at infancy and the involvement of the other official and individual is being looked into”.
While rejecting the bail application, court observed, “it is not right stage to grant bail in favour of the petitioner as the investigation in the case is still in its infancy, the other accused who conspired with the petitioner to defraud the innocent candidates are still at large and the investigation qua the role played by other officials who were part of the criminal conspiracy with the petitioner is going on”.
“The concession of bail in favour of petitioner at this stage shall undoubtedly prejudice and obstruct the further course of investigation as material witnesses being influenced with, and in the circumstances the possibility of the petitioner tampering with the evidence and hampering the investigation cannot be ruled out if he is released on bail”, the court added.
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