SRINAGAR, Mar 8: The Economic Offences Wing Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K has filed a chargesheet against seven persons for allegedly misappropriating Government funds sanctioned for construction of a school building in Baramulla district.
Crime Branch said that the chargesheet in FIR No. 43/2018 was filed before the Court of Special Anti-Corruption Judge Baramulla for offences under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act.
The case was registered on the basis of a written complaint alleging embezzlement of funds sanctioned under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme for construction of a school building at village Hampora Kralgund in Langate area.
Investigation, as per the Crime Branch, revealed that 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 Primary School Hampora. However, the sanctioned works were not executed in accordance with the approved plan.
On verification of the site, investigators found that only the structure of the school building had been constructed, while the kitchen block, toilet and ramp-also part of the approved project-had not been built despite the release of funds.
The probe further disclosed that the accused officials, in alleged connivance with a contractor, entered into a criminal conspiracy and allotted the contract in violation of SSA guidelines, which require that such construction works be carried out through members of the Village Education Committee.
The Crime Branch said that based on the evidence collected during the investigation, offences under the relevant provisions of law were established against the accused persons and the case has now been challaned before the competent court for judicial determination.
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