Drilling engineer charge-sheeted for Rs 33 lakh fraud

The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Jammu has charge-sheeted a drilling engineer for his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Rs 33 lakh in General Provident Fund (GPF) and 7th Pay Commission arrears belonging to the department employees.
Accused Aijaz Mir criminally breached the trust and embezzled Rs 33, 03, 447 in GPF and 7th Pay Commission arrears while he was posted as the Drawing & Disbursing Officer (DDO-1) of the Geology and Mining Department, said a Crime Branch spokesperson.
Presently under suspension, he said, Mir’s alleged misdeeds were brought to the light by complainant Shiban Lal Bhat, a former Drill Operator Grade-2 within the department.
Under investigation, he further said, it was revealed that the GPF funds meant for employees had been diverted into the DDO’s account.
“A comprehensive inquiry committee, instituted by the Department’s Director, uncovered a significant fraud totaling Rs 33,03,447, implicating both Mir and the department’s cashier, now deceased,” said the Crime Branch spokesperson.
Accordingly, he said, the findings were promptly forwarded to the Crime Branch Jammu for further action.
Subsequently, the Crime Branch Jammu registered a case FIR number 04/2021 under sections 409, 420, 120-B of the IPC, in conjunction with Section 13 of the Prevention of the Corruption Act against the accused DDO and cashier.
Inspector Taranjeet Singh, under the supervision of SSP Crime, Jammu, Benam Tosh, oversaw the investigation, which culminated in a thorough charge-sheet being filed in the court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu.