Srinagar, October 14: The Special Crime Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against three government employees in a case involving the alleged forgery of a date-of-birth certificate and manipulation of official service records.

The chargesheet in FIR No. 02/2022 was presented before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar. The accused have been booked under Sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the RPC, along with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused have been identified as Abdul Rashid Gojri, a helper at the Sub-Divisional Agriculture Office, Beerwah, Manzoor Ahmad Wani, a section officer in the office of the Chief Agriculture Officer, Budgam, and Peer Abdul Rashid, a retired Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer.

According to the investigation, the case originated from a communication received from the Deputy Director Agriculture, Central Kashmir, on February 15, 2022, regarding alleged tampering with service records to secure undue benefits.

Investigators found that Gojri had allegedly submitted a forged date-of-birth certificate showing his birth date as February 27, 1973, instead of the recorded actual date of February 27, 1975.

The investigation further revealed that Gojri was 17 years and two months old when he was initially engaged as a daily wager in the Agriculture Department. The other two accused allegedly facilitated the entry of the incorrect date of birth into his service records by failing to follow directions for document verification, which allegedly helped in the regularisation of his services.

The Crime Branch said the investigation established a prima facie case against all three accused under the relevant provisions. After obtaining the required approval and sanction concerning the two serving government employees, the chargesheet was submitted to the court.

The public has been urged to remain alert to fraudulent activities and report such cases to the Crime

Branch Kashmir.