Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 19: The High Court has directed the Crime Branch (CB) Kashmir for completion of investigation in multi-crore embezzlement of public exchequer in Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department Handwara division in a drinking water supply scheme.
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 said scheme has been embezzled by the officials of PHE department due to which the project has not been completed.
Hearing the PIL which was filed immediately after the scam was unearthed in PHE department of Handwara Division way back in 2014, the Division Bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey and Justice V C Koul directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, CB Kashmir to ensure the investigation is completed and the challan before the competent court of law is filed within three months, if not already filed.
The PIL was filed by one Javed Ahmad Zarger, a journalist by profession seeking direction on IGP Crime to submitting a report of investigation in FIR 91/2014 which was registered with Police Station Handwara about the scam and later transferred to CB Srinagar for further investigation.
The DB with regard to departmental proceedings against the erring officials involved in the scam directed the Commissioner /Secretary Jal Shakti (PHE) department to take the said enquiry to its logical end by adhering the rules and regulations governing the field.
“The CE PHE department, Kashmir shall ensure that safe drinking water is supplied to the areas of PHE division, Handwara which is not covered in terms of the scheme in vogue”, the DB further directed and asked the registry of the court to convey these directions to the Commissioner/ Secretary of Jal Shakti (PHE) department, SSP Crime Branch Kashmir and CE PHE department Kashmir for information.
Court said the authorities are on record to guarantee supply of safe drinking water to the public as per their requirement. It has been highlighted that in most of the areas safe drinking water is supplied as per the scheme of the Government of India and Government of J&K.
It may be mentioned here that approximately Rs 45 crores of money was swindled and the said money was meant for the scheme launched under NRDWP to provide the drinking water to the people of district Handwara and its adjoining hilly areas.
The investigating agency in the matter has in its previous report revealed that four Executive Engineers Mohammad Afzal Rather, Iftikhar Ahmad Wani, Zaffar Ahmad Fakhtoo and Siraj-ud-Din Shah have been identified so far who were posted in PHE division Handwara from 2012 to 2017 have accorded approval/extension in violation of codal formalities.
In compliance of earlier court directions the department of Public Health Engineering had placed its 16 officials from the rank of Executive Engineer to Junior Engineer under suspension as they were found involved in irregularities and embezzlement of crores of rupees in NRDWP scandal.
The officers were Fida Hussain Wazir the then EE, Mohammad Afzal rather the then I/C EE, Iftikhar Ahamd Wani the then I/C EE, Qazi Mushtaq Ahmad the then I/C AEE, Abdul Majid Mir the then I/C AEE, Abdul Aziz Wani the then I/C AE, Mohammad Maqbool Lone the then I/C AE, Ghulam Hassan Mir the then AE, Bashir Ahmad Dar the then JE, Showkat Dar the then JE, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat the then JE, Mohammad Amin Malik the then JE, Abdul Majid Wani the then I/C JE, Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh the then JE and Ghulam Nabi Hajam the then JE.
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