Srinagar, Aug 12: Crime Branch Kashmir on Thursday produced chargesheet against 158 persons including officers, officials of PDD, Finance, J&K Bank and fake employees for misappropriated of over Rs 7.25 crores in 2018.

The charge sheet was produced in case (FIR No. 25/2018) under section 420, 409, 467, 468, 471,120-B, 201-RPC r/w 5(2) PC Act of Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir against accused Mushtaq Ahmad Malik, the then Sr. Assistant in Power Development Department, Division Sumbal, Bandipora and 112 other accused Officers/Officials of PDD, Finance, J&K Bank and 45 fake employees.

“A PV No. 51/2018 of P/S CBK was initiated which culminated into the registration of instant case FIR No. 25/2018 of Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir,” the Crime Branch said in a statement.

“During the course of investigation, it has been established that the prime accused Mushtaq Ahmad Malik along with other accused officers/ officials have misappropriated an amount of more than 07.25 crores by adopting modus operandi of drawl of illegal salary of two non-existent employees, illegal regular salary of 05 retired employees and drawl of illegal arrears in respect of 301 PDD employees,” the CBK said, adding, “Besides, the accused person Mushtaq Ahmad Malik in criminal conspiracy with other officers/ officials of PDD appointed 45 employees by preparing their fake service books on the production of fake appointment orders.”

The illegal salary drawn by these fake employees from the year 2003, amounts to more than 07.41 crores, the CBK said.

“Therefore, it has been established that the accused persons in criminal conspiracy with one another and by abuse of their official positions have embezzled/ misappropriated a total amount of more than 14.72 crores,” the CBK said. However, the CBK said, during the course of investigation, an amount of Rs 5.17 crores was recovered from the possession of the prime accused person Mushtaq Ahmad Malik and remitted in the government Treasury on the basis of order issued by the Court of Anti Corruption Judge, Srinagar. gns