Srinagar, June 5 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case following a Joint Surprise Check that uncovered alleged corruption, financial irregularities, procedural violations and abuse of official position in development works carried out by the Horticulture Department at Zawoora Garden in Srinagar.
Joint Surprise Check was initiated by Police Station ACB Srinagar to examine allegations relating to the development of the Centre of Excellence at Zawoora Garden. The enquiry reportedly revealed prima facie evidence of serious irregularities in the tendering and execution of works undertaken under the project.
The statement said the verification found that the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) was allegedly framed without specific quality parameters and technical specifications, creating scope for arbitrary decision-making. It further revealed that the financial provisions incorporated in the tender were substantially higher than those envisaged in the approved Detailed Project Report (DPR).
The ACB stated that the enquiry also found that the eligibility criteria relating to financial turnover had allegedly been fixed at an unusually high threshold despite the actual requirement being significantly lower. This restrictive condition, it said, allegedly curtailed fair competition and favoured a particular bidder.
According to the statement, the findings of the Joint Surprise Check prima facie indicate abuse of official position, criminal misconduct and criminal conspiracy involving public servants and the beneficiary private firm, resulting in undue pecuniary benefit to the contractor and corresponding loss to the government.
The ACB said that FIR No. 09/2026 has been registered at Police Station ACB Srinagar under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and Section 120-B RPC against the then Director Horticulture Kashmir, members of the District Level Purchase Committee (DLPC), members of the Inspection Committee, beneficiary contractor M/S Fruit Master Agro Fresh Pvt. Ltd., and other persons allegedly involved in the matter.
Further investigation has been taken up to ascertain the role and culpability of all concerned and to initiate appropriate legal action in accordance with law, the statement added.