The Anti-Corruption Bureau has charged two former chairmen of J&K Bank and 15 bank officials for allegedly making 2500 illegal appointments at the premier financial institution, officials said on Monday.
The ACB, however, named just six beneficiaries of illegalities at the bank in its official statement. “More beneficiaries are being identified and they will be held accountable as per law,” a senior ACB official said.
In its first chargesheet on Monday before a special ACB court here, the agency produced Sheikh Mushtaq and Parvez Nengroo, ex-chairmen of the bank, and 15 officials and six beneficiaries before Special Judge, Anti Corruption, Srinagar, an official statement said.
The case (FIR No. 10/2019 in P/S ACB Srinagar) was registered this year when a complaint was file with the ACB that the bank has “created unprecedented and illegal practice of making more than 3,000 backdoor appointments clandestinely including their kiths and kins contrary to rules and norms governing the subject,” the statement said.
“During the course of investigation, a search warrant was obtained from the Hon’ble Court of CJM, Srinagar, consequently search was conducted in Corporate Headquarters of J&K Bank on 8-6-2019 to lay hands on the various documents related to illegal and fraudulent appointments to avoid inordinate delay and tampering of records by the accused officers/officials of J&K Bank,” the statement said.
The agency claimed that documents pertaining to the “illegal appointments were seized from various sections of the bank i.e Human Resources Section, Recruitment Section, other related offices of recruitment section and office of Chairman J&K Bank.”
“The voluminous record was seized and scrutinized wherein it surfaced that from the year 2011 onwards Chairmen of the time have made around 2500 backdoor appointments illegally and fraudulently, consequently a thorough probe was ordered to unearth this illegal appointment scam so that corrective measures are taken by the bank to put an end to such illegal practice,” the statement said.
“On conclusion of investigation of the case, allegation were established against the bank officials which included 2 Ex Chairman and other employees. Accordingly the case was sent to Government for accord of prosecution sanction which was received,” the statement said.
Others who have been charged are Mohd Ayoub Wanchoo, the then Vice-President Corporate Headquarters presently Zonal Head Office, Anantnag, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, the then Vice-President HRDD Corporate Headquarters Srinagar presently Vice-President Deposit Liability Management Corporate Headquarters, Srinagar, Showkat Ahmad Bhat, the then Executive HRDD presently Senior Executive at RCC Delhi, Mohd Yahya Rafiqui, the then Executive HRDD presently Sr. Executive Branch Unit Alamgiri Bazar Srinagar, Arshad Hussain Dar, Executive HRDD presently vice President J&K Bank Financial Servics Ltd. Corporate Headquarter Srinagar, Asif Iqbal Raja, the then Sr. Executive HRDD Corporate Headquarters presently at RCC Srinagar, Syed Irfan Latief the then Executive HRDD Central office presently Executive at Branch Unit Nalamar Road Srinagar, Parvaiz Ahmad Baba, Executive HRDD Corporate Headquarters Srinagar, Mohd Maqbool Lone S/o Mohi-ud-Din Lone, President HRDD Corporate Headquarters Srinagar, Imran Mattoo the then Jr. Executive HRDD Corporate Headquarters Srinagar, presently Associate Executive J&K Bank Branch Upper Sahu Srinagar, Shakoor Ahmad Bhat, Sr. Executive Corporate Headquarters Srinagar, presently Sr. Executive Customer Care, Corporate Headquarters Srinagar, Mohd Aslam Ganiee the then Assistant Vice President HRDD Corporate Headquarters Srinagar presently Head Cluster Office Pulwama in case FIR No. 10/2019 P/S ACB Srinagar.
“Apart from these above 12 serving employees of J&K Bank, case of illegal appointment has been proved against 5 retired employees which include two chairmen.
“The investigators have identified the beneficiaries as Mohammad Iqbal Wani S/o Ali Mohd Wani R/o Tulwari Lanhgate Handwara Banking Attendant at J&K Bank Branch Kupwara Old Chowk, Waseem Mehraj S/o Mehrajud Din Bhat R/o Sidiq Colony Sopore Banking Attendant at J&K Bank Branch Dangiwacha, Anjuman Ara D/o Ghulam Mohammad Bhat R/o Watapora Bandipora appointed as Assistant Banking Associate Bank (Code No. 18156), Faizan Ayaz S/o Late Ayaz Ahmad Chopan r/o Patushia Bandipora appointed as Banking Attendant Banking Code No. 24315, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir S/o Mohammad Ramzan Mir R/o Panjgam Bandipora appointed as Assistant Banking Associate Banking Code No. 18168 and Haameem Nusrat D/o Nazir Ahmad Laway R/o Chawalgam Kulgam at present HIG colony Bemina Srinagar Bank Code No. 018250,” the statement said.
The charge sheet of the case FIR No. 10/2019 of P/S VOK against 23 accused was produced before the court of RN Wattal, Judge Anti Corruption Court Srinagar on 23-12-2019 and the next date of hearing has been fixed on 27.01.2020, the statement added.