The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Crime Branch J&K on Monday conducted searches and arrested a government employee in connection with a fraud recruitment case in health department dating back to 2017, officials said.
The case pertains to FIR No. 19/2017 registered under Sections 420, 467, 468, and 471 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) at Police Station Crime Branch Kashmir, now functioning as EOW Kashmir.
According to EOW , the arrested accused has been identified as Shahnawaz Ahmad Mir, a senior assistant in the Health Department and a resident of Tankipora, Shaheed Gunj Srinagar. He has been described as a habitual offender allegedly involved in multiple fraudulent cases.
The case originated from a communication by the Deputy Director Health Services Kashmir, which flagged that one Bashir Ahmad Sofi of Mazhama, Budgam had secured employment as a Health Educator through fraudulent means. Investigations revealed that Sofi had produced forged transfer orders and a fabricated Last Pay Certificate to obtain the post.
Authorities said the accused managed to illegally enter government service at Block Sheeri in Baramulla and continued to draw salary, thereby causing a wrongful loss to the state exchequer.
Further probe by the EOW uncovered the alleged involvement of Shahnawaz Mir in facilitating such fraudulent appointments. Officials stated that his role has surfaced in multiple similar cases, some of which are already under investigation while others have been charge-sheeted.
“The accused has been taken into custody, and further investigation in the instant case is ongoing,” officials said.
