ACB registers DA cases against two officials of Srinagar Smart City Ltd

Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday booked two senior officers of Srinagar Smart City Limited in disproportionate assets (DA) cases here, officials said. The Bureau also conducted searches at seven different locations in connection with these cases in the Valley.

“ACB has registered DA cases against Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Sajid Yousef Bhat and Executive Engineer Zahoor Ahmad Dar of Srinagar Smart City Limited,” said Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of ACB Abdul Waheed Shah.

Searches are currently underway at seven locations associated with these cases, the AGI said.

He said ACB conducted a secret verification into the allegation that Sajid Yousuf Bhat and Zahoor Ahmad Dar, both presently posted in Srinagar Smart City Limited, have accumulated assets disproportionate to their lawful known source of income and suspects are also living lavish and luxurious lifestyle.

Bhat owns a commercial property at Rambagh Srinagar having actual price significantly much higher than the value of sale deed paid by him, besides multiple bank accounts with suspicious transaction.

"In this way, public servant namely Sajid Yousuf Bhat has enriched himself illicitly by indulging in corrupt practices which attract commission of offence under section 13(1) (b) r/w 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 for possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of lawful income. Accordingly, case has been registered in police station ACB Srinagar," an official spokesperson said.

Similarly, Dar was found to own a lavish multi-storied house in Srinagar's Shalteng, a sedan car, and bank accounts with suspicious transactions involving both his personal accounts and those of his spouse, Shah said.

There is evidence of the acquisition of 'benami' properties and significant assets in the form of fixed deposit receipts (FDRs), the AIG said, adding that a case has been registered against Dar at Police Station ACB Srinagar.

Both the suspects were found to be involved in corrupt practices, which prima facie constitute an offense under the Prevention of Corruption Act for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of lawful income, he said.

It must be mentioned that Rs 3,000 crore was allotted under the Smart City project for 137 initiatives for roads, IT services, heritage preservation, sanitation and urban mobility. The project was part of the national smart cities mission to improve the quality of life in cities brought under the smart cities projects. Investigators are focusing on whether funds allocated for various infrastructure and development projects under the Smart City initiative were misused or siphoned off.