Court rejects closure report, directs further probe into misuse of of Saubhagya Scheme funds in J&K
The court rejected the ACB’s closure report, which exonerated public servants involved in the execution of Saubhagya Scheme in Jammu province, from any criminal liability
The anti-corruption court on Tuesday rejected a closure report filed by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) regarding allegations of double drawal and misappropriation of funds to the tune of ₹500 crore by Jammu and Kashmir power Development Corporation Limited (JKPDCL) in the implementation of Saubhagya Scheme in 2018 in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Special judge Tahir Khurshid Raina directed the ACB to further investigate the scam through a special investigation team (SIT) headed by an officer of impeccable integrity and to the rank of senior superintendent of police (SSP).
The court rejected the ACB’s closure report, which exonerated public servants involved in the execution of Saubhagya Scheme in Jammu province, from any criminal liability.
The ACB had recommended only departmental action against public servants to the government for committing some “low profile” violations of the guidelines, but the court observed that the execution of the Saubhagya Scheme prima-facie seems to have not been carried out as envisioned, desired and designed by the Government of India.
“All the mandatory SOPs, as envisaged in the Saubhagya scheme and in various circulars, issued from time to time by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, prima-facie seem to have been observed, by all the relevant authorities, more in breach than in compliance<” it said.
“The executing agency (JKPDCL), the project monitoring agency (PMA) and even the government seem to be on the same page so far as the shabby and illegal execution of Saubhagya Scheme on ground is concerned,” it further observed.
{{/usCountry}}“The executing agency (JKPDCL), the project monitoring agency (PMA) and even the government seem to be on the same page so far as the shabby and illegal execution of Saubhagya Scheme on ground is concerned,” it further observed.
{{/usCountry}}The court also enumerated the steps to be taken by the ACB during further investigation, including collecting specimen/admitted signatures of all the officers/officials of the JKPDCL, enlisting all concerned who have created and used these documents at all levels among others.
{{/usCountry}}The court also enumerated the steps to be taken by the ACB during further investigation, including collecting specimen/admitted signatures of all the officers/officials of the JKPDCL, enlisting all concerned who have created and used these documents at all levels among others.
{{/usCountry}}An order for the status reports of further investigation to be filed before the court on a fortnightly basis was also passed.
{{/usCountry}}An order for the status reports of further investigation to be filed before the court on a fortnightly basis was also passed.
{{/usCountry}}Saubhagya scheme was a flagship project of the Centre to ensure last-mile connectivity and electricity connection to all un-electrified households in rural areas.
{{/usCountry}}Saubhagya scheme was a flagship project of the Centre to ensure last-mile connectivity and electricity connection to all un-electrified households in rural areas.
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