Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 21: After warning the authorities of Public Health Engineering (PHE) department for snail’s pace of inquiry into 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, the authorities have informed the State High Court that it will be completed in a week.
The time has been granted by the Division Bench of Justice Mohammad Yaqoob Mir and Justice D S Thakur after the counsel representing CE PHE department submitted that she has prepared the fresh status report as well as the reply and will file it before the Registry during the course of the week. Court with these submissions made by the counsel dispensed the personal appearance of CE who was present before the court as per directions.
Court earlier warned the authorities of Irrigation and Flood Control (PHE) department to expedite and conclude the departmental enquiry in the much publicized multi-crore scam or face action.
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 the court about the departmental enquiry initiated against the delinquent officials involved in the scam.
Investigation conducted by the Crime Branch, as submitted by the State Counsel, has been completed and resulted into filing of final report before the competent court of law and it is now for the court of law to initiate proceedings and take the criminal trial to its logical conclusion.
“So far as the departmental enquiry initiated against the delinquent officers/ officials, the Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Irrigation and Flood Control (PHE) Department, shall have the same expedited in terms of applicable rules and file the status within four weeks”, court had directed and warned the authorities for action under law in case enquiry is not completed within stipulated period.
Court earlier had directed Senior Superintendent of Police, Crime Branch and Srinagar, to file status about the investigation of case FIR no. 91/2014 which was firstly registered at Police Station Handwara and thereafter transferred to Crime Branch, Srinagar.
The direction was subsequently repeated from time to time and finally in the month of November last year further two weeks time were granted to file status report regarding the progress in both the enquiries, failing which Enquiry Officers were directed to appear in person.
The multi-crore embezzlement of public exchequer was unearthed 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 brought under book the erring officials.
In compliance of earlier court directions the department of Public Health Engineering has 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 NRDWP Scandal.
The suspension order of these officers stated that the matter being of utmost public importance and Division Bench of High Court is very closely monitoring this aspect on regular basis.
“These officers have remained posted in the division, so their role needs to be enquired into and necessitate their detachment from the active duties by invoking of Rule 31 J&K CSR for a fair and impartial enquiry”, suspension order further read.
Authorities in pursuance of said rules due to pendency of enquiry against them has placed these officials under suspension with immediate effect and attached them CE I&FC.
In this connection records seized by the CB has been sent to the forensic science laboratory to seek the scientific opinion regarding involvement of accused persons in the scam.
Follow our WhatsApp channel