Crime Branch Kashmir Files Charge-Sheet in Rice Diversion Scam Involving Senior FCS&CA Officials

Srinagar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a charge-sheet in a major rice diversion scam, naming three senior officials of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department for alleged criminal misconduct and misappropriation of government food grains.

The charge-sheet, as per a media statement, submitted before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore in FIR No. 07/2020 under Sections 409, 420 and 120-B RPC, identifies the accused as Siraj-ud-Din Bhat (then TSO PEG Baramulla), Mohd Hussain Bhat (then TSO/Storekeeper Hygam Granary) and Mohammad Shafi Rather alias Shafi Kanda (then TSO Hygam Granary).

The case, the statement says, originated from a communication by the Directorate of FCS&CA reporting suspected misappropriation of rice stocks from Hygam and Baramulla (Centre D) granaries. Acting on this, the Crime Branch initiated a probe, and the SSP Crime Branch Kashmir ordered a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) to verify dispatches and receipts of consignments.

The JSC detected serious irregularities. Seven truckloads of rice shown as dispatched from PEG Baramulla, under the supervision of FCI officials and the then TSO, were falsely recorded as received at Hygam Granary and further marked as distributed to sale centres in Wagoora, Nowpora, Kathigan Jathiar, Kalantra and Dandmoh. Each of these centres denied receiving the supplies, and their official records supported the denial.

Investigation further revealed that the challans used to show the movement of these consignments were fraudulently obtained by Assistant Storekeeper Palhallan Pattan, Mohammad Shafi Rather, from Siraj-ud-Din Bhat, and subsequently channelled through TSO Hygam, Mohd Hussain Bhat.

Crime Branch officials said the probe established that the accused officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other and with certain FCI Baramulla officials, diverted and misappropriated a substantial quantity of rice, causing significant loss to the state exchequer.

On the basis of documentary and oral evidence, the charges were found substantiated. The case has now been submitted under Section 173 CrPC for judicial determination.