Srinagar- Taking tough action against the government officials involved in malpractices, the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered over 17 cases in the first three months of ongoing year against public servants for accepting bribes, besides their involvement in embezzlement of funds, disproportionate assets, and other cases.
According to official figures, the anti-graft body has registered only six cases in Jammu division, while 11 cases have been filed in Kashmir province—indicating that the corruption in the Valley was much higher than the winter capital.
Three cases have been registered in Jammu city and one each in Udhampur, Doda and Rajouri districts. In the Valley, 7 cases have been registered in Srinagar, three in Anantnag and 1 in North Kashmir’ Baramulla district, the data revealed.
An official from the ACB told Kashmir Observer that the government has ordered a zero policy towards corruption and ACB was leaving no stone unturned to ensure the same.
“Whenever we receive any complaint, we keep the person anonymous and without wasting any time we ensure the person, if found guilty, is behind bars,” the official said, wishing not to be named.
Last year the department registered 128 FIRs in J&K against the government officials, including 18 top revenue department officials, including Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars and Patwaris.
Of these, 88 FIRs have been lodged in the Valley, 40 in the Jammu division at the ACB’s Police Station. The official figures further reveal that around 64 officers were caught red handed in Valley while 99 including a lady corporator in Jammu fell in ACB net.
The data clearly shows that Kashmir has surpassed the Jammu region as far as corruption cases registered by the anti-graft body are concerned.
ACB Police Station in Srinagar (central Kashmir) which covers Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts has registered 40 corruption cases, followed by 29 in Baramulla (north Kashmir) which includes Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara. Anantnag (south Kashmir) has reported 13 cases.
The data further reveals that 33 cases of corruption have been reported from the Jammu division. Among these, 16 have been registered by ACB Jammu including Samba and Kathua) followed by 11 by ACB Doda (Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar), and 4 by Udhampur (Udhampur and Reasi), and 2 in Rajouri (Poonch, Rajouri).
Earlier, the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj said that the UT Government is taking comprehensive measures for ensuring transparent, accountable, and responsive governance.
The government has launched Mobile Application ‘Satark Nagrik’ and Departmental Vigilance Officers Portal of J&K Anti Corruption Bureau with an aim to facilitate seamless flow of information about corruption and enable citizens to submit their grievances with ease and mobility.
Pertinently, the UT administration has made it mandatory for all government employees to have vigilance clearance for obtaining a passport.
An employee seeking a passport will have to secure a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the concerned department on the basis of a vigilance report.
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