Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 18: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) today unearthed huge wealth amassed by Kewal Krishan Sharma, a Forest Guard including four palatial bungalows, plots, several luxurious vehicles, cash worth Rs 10 lakh and Rs 4 crores worth banking transactions during 2013-14, when he was virtually in power, working as Public Relations Officer (PRO) to former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand.
Kewal Krishan Sharma son of Gian Chand, a resident of village Kachrial, Akhnoor, presently putting up at Patta Paloura, had been facing the Vigilance inquiries against him in appointments scam in the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Jammu but following fresh revelations of his huge wealth, the SVO has booked him under the Disproportionate Assets case.
The revelations by the Vigilance Organisation that Kewal Sharma had visited several foreign countries when he was in ‘power’ in violation of service conduct rules and norms has given rise to the speculations that he might have deposited black money in some foreign banks. He will be quizzed on this account when his sustained interrogation is conducted. Presently, he has not been taken into custody.
SSP Vigilance Organisation, Jammu, Dr Koushal Sharma, who led the Vigilance Organisation teams in raids at Kewal Sharma’s premises, told the Excelsior that the SVO teams have detected huge wealth in possession of Kewal Krishan Sharma, both on his name or in the names of his son and close relatives apart from benami transactions.
Dr Sharma said Kewal has been booked in case FIR No. 32/2015 at Vigilance Organisation Jammu police station under Section 5(1) (e) read with 5(2) Prevention of Corruption Act.
Official sources said the assets in possession of Kewal were far beyond his known sources of income.
The Vigilance Organisation has found that Kewal Krishan was in possession of one double storey palatial bungalow at Patta Paloura, Jammu, where he was presently residing, another residential house constructed at Border Migrant Colony at Paluwan, Akhnoor, yet another residential house constructed at his ancestral village of Dhangar, Kachrial in Akhnoor, renovation and extension of ancestral house at village Kachrial and 17 marla land in Khasra No. 1312 at Patta Paloura, Jammu.
The significant disclosures made by the Vigilance Organisation after day long raids in the house of Sharma revealed transaction of Rs 4 crores in his bank accounts over a period of two years from 2013-14 when he in corridors of power and working as PRO to the former Deputy Chief Minister. In addition to this, sources said, Kewal had visited several foreign countries a number of times during the period of ‘power’ in violation of service conduct rules and norms and had incurred huge expenses on the visits.
“This has given rise to the speculations that Kewal might have deposited some black money in the foreign bank accounts. This aspect will be probed by the SVO teams during interrogation,’’ sources said.
They added that in addition to palatial bungalows, banking transactions and foreign tours, the SVO teams also found that Kewal Sharma was in possession of several luxurious vehicles including TATA Safari (No. 4582 JK02BJ), Mahindra Scorpio (No. 0900 JK02AB), 4×4 Thar Jeep and commercial vehicles like Volvo bus, matador, tractor, one JCB and one tractor, most of which had been purchased on names of other persons (i.e. they were benami transactions).
During search at Patta Paloura bungalow of Kewal Sharma, the Vigilance teams also recovered cash amounting to Rs 10.82 lakh apart from documents related to foreign tours, cheque books, pass books, credit cards, passport, revenue documents, laptop, CPU, CCTV Control Unit and several other incriminating documents, all of which have been seized.
Sources said the SVO teams conducted simultaneous raids at four bungalows of Kewal Sharma at Patta Paloura, Kachrial (two houses) in Khour, Akhnoor and Migrant Colony (Gurah Jageer-Paluwan), Akhnoor.
Most of the houses were well furnished.
Sources said the property (both movable and immovable) in possession of Kewal Sharma detected so far was valued in several crores. However, his more assets including benami property could be detected when he will be subjected to sustained interrogation.
Significantly, Kewal Sharma is a Forest Guard and such a huge property amassed by him indicated that he had indulged in corrupt practices when he was in power.
Sources said three teams were constituted for three different locations
B K Pandita DySP VoJ was head of search party at Kakriyal. He was assisted by Insp Zafar Aameen, Insp Pawan Insp Khuswant Singh.
Zulfikar, DySP VoJ was head of party at Pallanwala and was assisted by Insp Naresh Sharma, Insp Farooq Shah, Insp Inderjeet Singh and Insp Hari Singh.
The longest search continued at residence of Kewal Sharma at Patta Paloura near petrol pump which started at 10 am and continued upto 10 pm. Team headed by HL Pandita, DySP VoJ, who was assisted by Kamal Sangra, Bhatu Choudhary, Vishal Sharma and Tahir all inspectors VoJ.
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