J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau books senior officer in disproportionate assets case

The case was registered against Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer Zafar Iqbal, currently posted as chief accounts officer in the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in Srinagar.

"The case was registered following a secret verification conducted by the ACB into allegations that the accused public servant had accumulated huge assets disproportionate to his known sources of income," an ACB spokesman said.

The spokesman said verification revealed that while serving at different postings, the accused allegedly abused his official position and acquired assets worth crores of rupees in his own name as well as in the names of his family members and relatives.

"Based on the verification, a prima facie case of criminal misconduct was established against the accused, who was then serving as treasury officer, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu," he said.

A case was registered at the ACB Central Police Station in Jammu under Section 13(1)(b) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and an investigation was taken up, the spokesman said.

"During the course of investigation, search warrants were obtained from the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Jammu. Subsequently, searches were conducted by ACB teams at the residential premises of the accused at Bathindi, Jammu, and Gursai, Mendhar, Poonch, besides his official residence at Sanat Nagar, Srinagar," he said.

The spokesman said during the searches, incriminating documents related to movable and immovable properties were recovered and seized.