Jammu & Kashmir’s Anti Corruption Bureau on Saturday registered an FIR against a former Assistant Director, employment, for allegedly demanding and taking bribe from a transport company for recommending their vehicles under “Mumkin scheme.”
The Mumkin scheme is meant for unemployed youth who are facilitated to procure small commercial vehicles, on subsidized basis, to establish a sustainable livelihood line in the transport sector.
A verification was conducted by ACB to look into the allegations that Shabnam Arif Mir, Assistant Director Employment in capacity of nodal officer under “Mumkin scheme” for District Kupwara & Bandipora demanded and accepted bribe from officials of Himalayan Motors Tengpora Bypass Srinagar for processing and recommending their vehicles under scheme during the year 2021-2022 etc.
A statement issued by the anti-corruption watchdog said the verification conducted has revealed that under the Mumkin scheme, the applications of eligible candidates were to be placed before District Level Implementation Committee (DLIC) by Nodal officer after verifying the credentials of the applications as per laid down norms, but the said officer, as being Nodal officer of Bandipora & Kupwara Districts demanded ?10,000 per vehicle as bribe/commission from officials of Himalayan Motors, Tengpora Srinagar for recommending their vehicles .
“The probe conducted also reveal that the officials of said Himalyan motors used to submit proforma bills of his dealer to her by paying fixed bribe money with the approval of General Manager Sumeer Pandita and Managing Director, Junaid Bashir Beigh against preferential treatment to the Himalayan motors over other dealers, ” the statement said.
The verification conducted also revealed that the suspect public servant demanded and accepted bribe to the tune of ?4,00,000 from sales consultant including ?1,39,000, so received through e-transactions into the account numbers provided by her to officials of the Himalayan motors .
Accordingly after culmination of probe a case FIR No. 15/2024 U/S 07 of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988 & section 120-B IPC was registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla against accused Public servant Shabnam Mir, Sumeer Pandita, the then General Manager and Junaid Bashir Beigh, the then Managing Director of M/S Himalayan Motors Tengpora Bypass, Srinagar and others.
Immediately after registration of the case searches were conducted by various ACB teams at multiple locations in Bandipora, Kupwara and Srinagar during which various incriminating documents were obtained and seized, the statement said.
Further investigations are going on and the role of other officials is being investigated.
