Srinagar, Oct 16 (GNS): Anti Corruption Bureau Friday attached property worth crores of rupees belonging to Rakesh Kumar Pargal, the then Chief Supervisor, FCI Godown, Udhampur and former Incharge Vigilance Squad in Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Rattan Lal Tikoo, former MD SICOP.

“On the basis of a preliminary enquiry to verify the facts that Rakesh Kumar Pargal, Chief Supervisor, FCI Godown, CA&PD Udhampur and Incharge Vigilance Squad in Food Civil Supplies and Public Distribution Department, by indulging in corrupt and illegal practices, has amassed huge assets worth crores of rupees in the form of immovable and moveable properties disproportionate to his known sources of income,” ACB said in a statement to GNS.

During the preliminary enquiry it was found that official has raised assets several times higher than the genuine income (salary) earned by the official from the service period.

Accordingly, a case FIR No. 01/2020 in PS ACB Udhampur was registered against him. Subsequently, searches were conducted during which 285 gms gold, incriminating material, documents were seized. Some accounts and lockers were also freezed after being found suspicious.

It said Pargal was already involved in Case FIR No. 01/2020 in PS ACB Doda regarding misappropriation of Rs.260 Crores on account of cost of wheat grains, transportation charges, labour charges, grinding charges drawn on the basis of fictitious and false bills. He was also arrested by ACB in this case, the statement said.

“It is pertinent to mention here that he was initially appointed as daily wager in September, 1984 in TSO office Chenani and remained posted in AD office Udhampur, Chief Supervisor (FCS&CA) Deptt) FCI Godown Udhampur.”

He remained under suspension w.e.f 26-06-2009 to 19-09-2012 (Attached with Directorate Office Jammu) for his involvement in case FIR No.06/2009 u/s 109, 409, 468, 471 RPC r/w sec 5(1) (c ), 5 (1) (D), 5(2) JK PC Act Svt. 2006 P/S VOJ now ACB which is still under trial in the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Udhampur, it said.

“After the registration of formal case under Anti-Corruption Law and his suspension from Govt. service w.e.f 26-06-2009 to 19-09-2012 he was posted/ appointed in Enforcement squad and Vigilance squad in CAPD Department, which indicate his deep nexus with other accused officials and private persons. The property measuring 01 Kanal & 08 Marlas on which a palatial house Dogri Haveli is constructed, valued at 1.2 crore have been attached by ACB.”

On the basis of a written complaint, it said, a verification was initiated by ACB to look into the allegations of accumulation of huge assets by Rattan Lal Tickoo S/o Shambu Nath Tickoo R/o House No. 142 Lower Laxmi Nagar Sarwal Jammu then Managing Director of SICOP disproportionate to his known sources of income. In consequence of his indulgement in corrupt and illegal practices and having taken advantages of his lucrative posting in SICOP, the accused R.L Tickoo had acquired huge assets, both movable and immovable by investing proceeds of his ill gotten money in such properties. The accumulation was raised by Rattan Lal Tickoo either in his own name or in the name of his family members by abuse and misuse of his official position.

“Consequently, case FIR No.28/2019 was registered against him in P/S ACB Jammu. Pursuant to registration of case, searches were conducted during which incriminating documents relating to investments were also recovered. 03 flats and land at three locations valued Rs. 47 lakh have been attached,” it said, adding, “Further investigations in both the cases is going on.” (GNS)

Srinagar, Oct 16: Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday ordered transfer and posting of two KAS officers with immediate effect.

According to an order issued here, Rahul Sharma (KAS), Managing Director, J&K Financial Corporation, has been transferred and posted as Excise Commissioner, J&K.

Rajesh Kumar Shavan (KAS), Excise Commissioner, J&K, has been transferred and posted as Managing Director, J&K Financial Corporation, the order, a copy of which lies with GNS, adds. (GNS)

Nasir Azam    

Srinagar, Oct 16: The appointment of Indian Forest Service Officer(IFS) BK Singh as administrative secretary of key School Education department may have triggered curiosity in Jammu & Kashmir but he is not new to the education sector.

Sources in administration of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Singh’s experience in helming an autonomous institution managing affairs of more than 600 schools prompted the government to assign him charge of the department which is usually used by IAS officers.

“He has held Joint Secretary level position in the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) before returning to his parent cadre earlier this year,” they said.

The officer of 1989 batch served as commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) for five- year period (2015-2020) before returning to J&K.

The NVS, an autonomous organization under ministry of Education and Literacy, runs more than 600 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) in different states and union territories.

JNVs are fully residential and co-educational schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi, with classes from VI to XII standard. These institutions are specifically tasked with finding talented children in rural areas of India and providing them with an education equivalent to the best residential school system, without regard to their families’ socio-economic condition.

In May this year, he was also assigned the additional charge of chairman, National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in May this year.

Singh, an officer of 1989 batch, is the 7th senior most IFS officer of Jammu & Kashmir cadre.

At present, Sanjay Kumar Singh, an IFS officer of J&K cadre, is working as joint secretary in Union Education Ministry.

Sajid Raina

Bandipora, Oct 16: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) man was killed while three others were injured after a vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident in Nusoo area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Friday morning.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a gypsy of 03-BN CRPF skipped off the road near Nusoo area, resulting in on spot death of one CRPF personnel and injuries to three others.

He said that the injured were shifted to District Hospital Bandipora for treatment.

The official identified the deceased CRPF man as Naresh Kumar. The injured were identified as Ravi Raj, Ankit Kumar Gupta and Vinod Kumar.

Meanwhile, a police official said that a case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Bandipora.

Anantnag shopkeeper arrested
Srinagar, Oct 16: Cyber Police Kashmir on Friday claimed to have busted a fake job scam operated through Facebook and arrested one person from South Kashmir’s Anantnag district in this regard.
In a statement Cyber Police Station Kashmir Zone, Srinagar received a written complaint from one lady (name withheld) hailing from Baramulla district of North Kashmir, alleging therein that she has been cheated by unknown Facebook user operating multiple fake Facebook accounts and impersonating as Project Officer in ICDS on the pretext of providing job to her.
“On receipt of this complaint, a case under FIR number 23/2020 under relevant sections of law was registered in Cyber Police Station and investigation was set into motion. During the course of investigation, the said unknown Facebook user was found operating more than 15 fake Facebook accounts (male & female) and had fraudulently obtained a number of SIM cards from the victims, which he was using to cheat and deceive the female victims especially young and destitute girls,” the statement said.
It added that the accused by his vicious and wicked plans has grabbed lakhs of rupees from the victims on the pretext of providing them jobs.
“The modus operandi of the accused include creation of fake Facebook accounts by using profile pictures of high profile dignitaries mostly associated with politics and television and sending friend requests to the young girls who were allured by the profiles of the accused and would often chat with the accused who used to impress them with his flagitious activities and promises of offering jobs to them,” police said.
The statement added that he made them believe that he could help them in getting jobs and consequently coerced them to pay money. “The accused also used to compel the young girls to share their objectionable photos and videos and using the same for blackmailing. He would made victims transfer money not into his personal account but in the accounts of other victims who were cheated in the same manner and subsequently used to collect the amount by sending some other person(s) to avoid himself getting exposed,” the statement further reads.
It added that the accused used to frequently change his mobile phones and SIM cards and create new Facebook accounts on the name of high posted Govt employees and made victims believe that they too have been provided jobs by him.
“During the course of investigation and with strenuous efforts and rigorous analysis of his cyber signatures/footprints at different cyber platforms, the experts of Cyber Police station Kashmir were able to trace and identify the accused. He was identified as Mohammad Hussain Mir @ Bitta Morray, son of Late Ghulam Qadir Mir of Lazibal, KP Road Anantnag, a shopkeeper by profession and has been arrested,” police said.
During further investigation, police said the accused has been found to have used various devices and has cheated more than 100 destitute and young girls belonging to Kashmir as well as Jammu division who were in desperate need of government jobs.
“During questioning, the accused person admitted that he was inspired by a famous TV serial “Crime Patrol” and he learnt the modus operandi of social media crimes by watching the said serial. Further, one accomplice of the accused who used to provide fake SIM cards to the accused was also arrested. More arrests in the case are expected,” police said.
Meanwhile, police appealed to people to be aware of such online job scams where the fraudsters pretend to be Government Officers and high profile dignitaries.
“Moreover, public is advised neither to accept any friendship request on social media platforms from unknown persons nor share their personal details including photographs and videos with unknown social media users as these details could be used by these fake users/fraudsters to cheat/blackmail people,” police added.