The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday conducted raids at around two dozen places across Kashmir after it registered a case in the embezzlement of food grains in Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department. The ACB raids were conducted at 20 locations at Sopore, Baramulla, Uri, Chadoora, Srinagar and Kralgund in Handwara at the residences of FCS&CA employees and the stores. After the registration of FIR, the ACB said, searches were conducted at various locations after obtaining a search warrant from the Court. “During searches, incriminating documents related to the case were recovered. Further investigation of the case is going on,” it said. The ACB said that a verification conducted by it revealed that Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department Kashmir has allotted additional 500 AAY Ration Tickets (RTs) to district Baramulla with effect from October 2017 vide order No. 261-DFCS&CAK of 2017 dated 10.07.2017 under revised NFSA target. The additional allotment of rice 5075 quintals (35 kgs / RT per month), it said, continuously flowed from the Directorate of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Kashmir to district Baramulla for 29 months from October 2017 to February 2020. “The officials of FCS&CA department instead of identifying the additional 500 AAY beneficiaries, misappropriated quantity of additional allotment in league with their Tehsil Supply Officers (TSOs) and Storekeepers resulting in a loss of Rs. 1,00,75,155 to the state exchequer,” the ACB said. The Bureau said that consequently, case FIR No. 05/2020 has been registered in P/S ACB Baramulla u/s 5(1)(c), 5(1)(d) r/w 5(2) J&K P.C Act Svt. 2006 and section 120-B,409 RPC.
