Chargesheet filed against PHE cashier

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, March 16

The Crime Branch, Jammu, today produced a chargesheet against a cashier of the PHE Department in Rs 1.64 crore embezzlement case.

The chargesheet was filed against the accused, Nikhil Gandral, a cashier of PHE, City Division number 1, Jammu, within 60 days of his arrest. The accused was still in judicial custody lodged in the district jail, Ambphalla, Jammu.

The accused who was arrested by the Crime Branch and was in judicial custody had committed the misappropriation and embezzlement of Rs 1 crore and 64 lakh from the revenue collected as water charges.

Out of the more than Rs 2.2 crore water tax revenue of the division collected during-2019, the accused siphoned off Rs1.64 crores.

The case owes its origin to a written complaint lodged by the PHE, City Division number 1, Jammu, against Gandral of Greater Kailash, Jammu, while he was posted as a cashier in the office of Executive Engineer, PHE, City division. He allegedly committed misappropriation of government revenue with alleged malicious intent and consequently managed to swindle government revenue of Rs.1.64 crores.

Taking cognizance, the Crime Branch registered a criminal case and started investigation. During the investigation documentary, oral and circumstantial evidences were collected and it was established that accused cashier had committed criminal breach of trust by misappropriating the government money which was entrusted to the accused cashier in his capacity as a public servant.

The revenue collected by the subdivisional staff was deposited at the division headquarters with the accused cashier for its further remittance into the treasury.

The chargesheet was produced against Gandral after sanction to prosecute was accorded by the government, in the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Jammu.

The role of accused Inderpal Singh of Nanak Nagar, Jammu, and involvement of other officers/officials of the PHE Department was under investigation. The name of Inderpal Singh has surfaced in the case as a conduit for laundering of the embezzled money.