Man Accused Of Rs 30 Cr Bank Fraud in Kashmir Now Held For ‘Extortion’

Srinagar- A man accused in a whopping Rs 30 crore bank fraud, was arrested on Monday by the sleuths of anti-corruption bureau (ACB) along with his associate for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a truck driver.

Abdul Majeed Sheikh of Firdousabad, Batmaloo Srinagar, was arrested by ACB on Monday after the anti-graft body investigated a written complaint filed by a driver alleging Sheikh and his associate Tajamul Hassan Shah of Dharmuna Budgam were demanding bribe from him for allowing him unload his truck at Food Corporation of India (FCI)  Godown in Chandpora village of Budgam.

Abdul Majeed Sheikh, Proprietor of a firm named Sheikh Suppliers and Contractors, who owns the FCI godown at Chandpora, is accused in Rs 30 crore fraud of J&K Bank. In connection with bank fraud, ACB has charge-sheeted the accused in ACB case FIR No. 06/2019 of PS ACB Anantnag.

Giving a sequence of events that led to the arrest of the duo, an ACB spokesperson said that a truck driver approached the anti-graft body with a written complaint against the office bearers of FCI Godown Chandpora, alleging demand of bribe from him for unloading his truck.

The truck, he said, is associated with transportation of food-grain for FCI and had arrived at Chandpora godown with a load of rice on August 12.

Since then, the spokesperson said, the truck had not been unloaded and the office bearers had finally told the complainant to approach godown owner and Tajamul Hassan Shah, the weigher at the godown.

“The complainant accordingly approached the godown Owner, who told him to deposit an amount of Rs 1500 into his bank account. Further, the weigher told him to pay a bribe of Rs 3500 before his truck could be unloaded,” he said.

However, the complainant, he said, chose not to pay a bribe and approached ACB Srinagar for taking legal action against the accused as provided under law.

On receipt of the complaint, a case FIR No. 16/2023 U/S 7, 7A of PC Act 1988 was registered with PS ACB Srinagar and investigation was taken up.

During the course of investigation, the spokesperson said, a team was constituted by the ACB that laid a successful trap and caught the accused weigher red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of Rs 3500 from the complainant.

“The money was recovered from the accused on the spot. Moreover, before receiving the receipt of transported food-grain, the driver was asked by the godown owner to deposit an amount of Rs 1500 into his bank account,” he said.

The Bureau spokesperson further said that several other drivers, who transport food-grain for FCI, were also examined on the spot, who revealed that all the drivers are forced to pay bribes before their trucks are unloaded.

The drivers, he said, complained that they are “extorted money” at all the godowns of FCI, especially Lethpora, and their trucks are not unloaded timely and are made to wait long if they don’t pay bribes. 

“Almost all the drivers available on spot have paid some amount to the godown owner and weigher by one or the other way. Some of the drivers showed mPay screen shots depicting transfer of Rs 3000 each into the bank account of accused Abdul Majeed,” he said.

“Further investigation into the case is going on. Role of the other involved persons associated with FCI Godown Chandpora is being investigated. More arrests are expected to follow in the instant case,” he added.

According to reliable sources, Abdul Majeed Sheikh enjoyed patronage of a senior politician and a former Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and with his help established a godown at Chandpora, Budgam in 2012 before leasing it out to the FCI. He is also facing a probe for allegedly grabbing land measuring over 2 kanal of a Srinagar resident, on which he raised a part of the FCI godown.

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