ACB books govt officers for ‘professional misconduct’

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday said it had filed two cases for alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of official position, irregularities and professional misconduct by government officers, three of whom had been taken into custody for questioning.

Addressing a press conference here, Senior Superintendent of Police, ACB, Javaid Hassan Bhat, said the anti-graft body had initiated legal action following a verification prompted by a complaint that alleged illegal construction activities carried out by Iftikhar Sadiq, a resident of Gagribal.

Sadiq is accused of constructing multi-storey hostel buildings on approximately 12 kanals of custodian land in Srinagar's Gagribal locality.

The verification revealed a criminal conspiracy involving officials from the Lakes and Waterways Development Authority, Town Planning Organisation and Custodian Department, the ACB said.

The anti-graft body said it was found that Sadiq had received permission to construct five hostel structures in violation of the Jammu and Kashmir Building Bylaws of 2011.

Despite an initial permission for only three structures, subsequent permissions were issued for two more in gross violation of the regulations, the SSP said, adding that the construction deviated significantly from the approved plans, resulting in the structures resembling resorts rather than hostels.