J-K: EOW files chargesheet against 7 for misusing school building funds in Kupwara

Srinagar, Mar 8 (PTI) The Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against seven persons accused of misappropriation of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan scheme funds for school building work in Kupwara district, officials said on Sunday.

The EOW on Saturday filed a chargesheet before the Court of Special Anti-Corruption Judge Baramulla against seven accused individuals for offences under Sections 420, 120-B RPC read with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, they said.

The case was registered on the basis of a written complaint alleging misappropriation of government funds sanctioned for the construction of a school building at the village of Hampora Kralgund under the SSA scheme.

The project was sanctioned for the construction of a school building along with a kitchen, toilet and ramp.

During the investigation, it surfaced that although an amount of Rs 5,73,592 had been released through various cheques by the then zonal education officer Langate, mostly routed through the first teacher of the primary school Hampora, the approved works were not executed as per norms, the officials said.

On the ground, only the school building structure existed, while the kitchen block, toilet and ramp were not constructed despite the release of funds, they added.

The investigation further revealed that the accused officials, in connivance with the contractor, entered into a well-planned criminal conspiracy and allotted the contract in violation of SSA guidelines, although the construction work was required to be executed through village education committee members, the officials said.

The site plan of the project was also allegedly altered for their benefit by deviating from the approved plan of a three-roomed school building with a separate kitchen, toilet and ramp, and instead a double-storey structure with four rooms was constructed, they said.

Further, even after completion of the structure, the contractor failed to hand over the building to the education department, while the concerned officials deliberately did not take possession, enabling another accused to occupy the building illegally, they said.

On the basis of evidence collected during the course of the investigation, offences under the relevant provisions of law have been established against the accused persons, and the case has been challaned before the competent court for judicial determination, the officials added. PTI SSB APL APL