ACB seizes property worth over Rs 1 cr of former ARTO in DA case

Srinagar

The sleuths of Anti-Corruption Bureau on Thursday seized properties situated at Srinagar and gold worth more than crore of Abdul Majeed Bhat, the then ARTO Shopian and Pulwama in Disproportionate Assets Case.

ACB seizes properties then ARTO Shopian and Pulwama in Disproportionate Assets Case.

Official spokesman said that on the basis of specific information, it had surfaced that one Abdul Majeed Bhat S/o Late Khazir Mohd Bhat R/o Chursoo Awantipora A/P Bagh-e-Mehtab, Srinagar, the then ARTO Shopian with additional charge of the then ARTO Pulwama has accumulated huge assets moveable as well as immovable, disproportionate to his known source of income and by abuse of his official position has issued illegal driving licenses,illegal registrations, fraud voucher payments,etc.

“He has acquired huge assets both movable and immovable by investing proceeds of his ill-gotten money in such properties,” official spokesman said.

He said that the details of some of the moveable/ immovable properties raised by the suspect officer as per reliable source input are two houses at Srinagar, a  factory making empty boxes for apples at Hariparigam under the name and style of SSL Cardboard, running Dawat Restaurant at Awantipora, possessing vehicles worth lakhs of rupees, Possesses other residential houses in Kashmir.

“The said official has parked ill-gotten money in the form of FDRs in the name of his children worth lakhs of rupees,” he said.

The spokesman said that the above referred properties/assets were alleged to have been raised by the suspect officer out of the proceeds of ill-gotten money obtained by him by resorting to corrupt practices. Consequently, a case FIR No. 25/2018 u/s 5(1) (e) r/w 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt;2006 was registered in Police Station Vigilance Organisation Kashmir (now Anti-Corruption Bureau Kashmir) on 14/07/2018 against accused Public servant Abdul MajeedBhat the then ARTO Shopian for raising of huge assets highly disproportionate to his known sources of income.

“During course of investigation, search of the above said locations including 03 houses of the accused Abdul Majeed Bhat was conducted in pursuance of the search warrant issued by Hon’ble Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar. During execution of the said search warrant huge cash amount of Rs.34,13,300/-, Rs.99000/-(old demonetized currency), golden ornaments weighting 548 gms, 13 gold coins (Edward big size), licensed pistol and other relevant documents were seized,” he said.

“The investigation conducted so far has established that huge properties in the shape of movable/immovable have been acquired by the accused Abdul Majeed Bhat through illegal means by resorting to corrupt practices as ARTO,” he added.

“There were apprehensions that accused may dispose of these assets raised through ill gotten money, raised by accused from proceeds of ill gotten money by indulging in corrupt and illegal practices, as such provisions of section 8-B of Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006 have been invoked. Anti-Corruption Bureau in terms of Section 8(B) of P.C. Act, Svt;2006 deemed it fit to attach the 02 houses along-with the land at Rose Lane Colony and Govt. Housing Colony Bagh-e-Mehtab, golden ornaments, gold coins, a huge cash, and accordingly Attachment Order was issued by the competent authority. In accordance with the attachment order 02 above mentioned houses along-with the land of accused Abdul MajeedBhat, golden ornaments, gold coins, cash seized during search were attached,” said the spokesman.

“The concerned authorities were accordingly requested for necessary entries in the respective records of the properties, so attached by Anti-Corruption Bureau J&K.Further investigation of case is going on, an official spokesman said.

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