E-Paper
Anti-graft court directs ACB to file status report by September 26
Court directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to submit the latest status of a complaint lodged by advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed in October last year in connection with an alleged multi-crore scam in Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya scheme in Jammu and Kashmir
In a significant order, the court of additional sessions judge (anti-corruption) OP Bhagat on Friday directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to submit the latest status of a complaint lodged by advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed in October last year in connection with an alleged multi-crore scam in Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.
Advocate Shakeel had originally filed a complaint to the CBI director, seeking registration of a first information report (FIR) into an alleged ₹500 to 700 crore scam in the implementation of the scheme.
The CBI had on April 19 this year transferred the complaint to the director of ACB of Jammu and Kashmir.
The court has directed the ACB to submit the status report by or before September 26 this month.
After hearing advocate SS Ahmed in-person the additional sessions judge (Anti-Corruption), Jammu, OP Bhagat observed that having been transferred by special judge anti-corruption, Jammu, the application has been received by his court.
The court perused the application as well as the annexures and keeping in view the contents of the application as well as annexures, the application is allowed and ACB Jammu is directed to file the status report by or before the next date of hearing i.e. September 26.
In the application, it has been submitted that after getting RTI information from the state health agency (SHA) and health and medical education department of the government of Jammu and Kashmir, it has been prima facie established that a scam of ₹500 to 700 crore in the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Scheme in has been committed.
Accordingly, advocate Ahmed had lodged a complaint with the CBI in October 2022, but no communication, he on February 7 this year, the complainant filed an application before special judge, anti-corruption (CBI cases), Jammu wherein advocate Ahmed sought directions to the CBI to submit the status of the complaint dated October 10, 2022.
Advocate Ahmed, during the course of arguments, submitted that almost five months have lapsed since the entrustment of the scam to the ACB by CBI headquarters but the ACB has not disclosed the final outcome of the matter till date.
He further submitted that the ACB, Jammu and Kashmir is under a legal obligation to share the outcome of the inquiry with the complainant within seven days as mandated by the Supreme Court in case titled Lalita Kumari V/s Govt. of U.P. & Ors.
After considering the submissions of Ahmed, who appeared in person, the court directed the ACB to submit the latest status of the complaint by or before September 26 this month.
