The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu and Kashmir, has registered an FIR against five officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department and nine Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement and misappropriation of government food grains worth ₹5.57 crore in Karnah area of Kupwara district.
According to the ACB, FIR No. 02/2026 has been registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, after obtaining prior approval from the competent authority.
The case originated from a communication by the Director, FCS&CA Department, Kashmir, seeking criminal action following departmental inspections and physical verification that revealed large-scale shortages of government food grains. A joint surprise inspection initially detected a shortage of 4,175.89 quintals of rice at the Lountha Granary in Karnah.
Subsequent verification by a departmental sub-committee and the ACB uncovered further shortages at government sale centres and Fair Price Shops in Tangdhar, Karnah-A and Karnah-B circles of Kupwara district. The total loss to the government exchequer has been estimated at ₹5,57,18,657.25.
The ACB alleged that the accused public servants and FPS dealers entered into a criminal conspiracy to dishonestly misappropriate government food grains entrusted to them by abusing their official positions for unlawful financial gain.
Among those named in the FIR are Umar Bashir alias Raja Umer, then Assistant Storekeeper, and Ashiq Hussain Mir, then Assistant Storekeeper, along with 12 other accused, including public servants and Fair Price Shop dealers.
The ACB said searches are being conducted at multiple locations, and further legal proceedings have been initiated. Investigation into the case is underway.(KINS)
