Srinagar, Aug 22: A review of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) records shows a recurring pattern of corruption and illegal-construction cases involving officials of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) over the past decade, particularly in building permissions, enforcement and alleged dealings with private beneficiaries.

The cases include bribery arrests, FIRs, chargesheets and departmental action involving officials at different levels of the Corporation. The allegations range from demanding or accepting illegal gratification to facilitating unauthorized construction and allegedly abusing official positions.
Among the notable cases, an SMC Enforcement Officer was arrested in a bribery case in 2014, while two other officials were arrested the same year in connection with alleged illegal gratification linked to shop allotment.
In 2017, five SMC officials were arrested over alleged connivance in unauthorized construction at Khayam Colony. Another SMC employee was subsequently arrested in a separate bribery case related to Aadhaar enrolment.
The ACB later registered several cases concerning allegedly fraudulent building permissions and unauthorized structures. In 2019, a case was registered over a building permission allegedly issued in the name of a deceased person. The investigation eventually led to a 2025 chargesheet against 14 accused, including 11 SMC officials.
In 2020, the ACB registered cases involving alleged irregularities in the Swachh Bharat Mission and unauthorized construction at Rajbagh. In the latter case, a chargesheet was filed in April 2026 against five SMC officials and a private beneficiary.
Another 2020 case concerned six allegedly illegal structures in different Srinagar areas, with four SMC officials and seven private beneficiaries chargesheeted.
In 2022, an SMC Ward Officer was arrested in a trap case after allegedly demanding ₹50,000 for allowing construction. The episode also resulted in the suspension of five officials.
The issue returned to the spotlight this month. On August 17, the ACB chargesheeted 10 accused, including seven SMC officials, in an illegal-construction case in Batamaloo. On August 19, another FIR was registered over alleged illegal construction and encroachment at Rajbagh.
On August 20, the ACB arrested an SMC Junior Building Inspector for allegedly demanding and accepting ₹10,000 from a complainant in connection with construction of two structures.
Taken together, the documented chargesheets contain at least 28 entries involving SMC officials, though the figure does not represent 28 unique individuals because some officials appear in multiple cases.
The pattern does not imply corruption among all SMC employees, but it does raise serious questions about internal oversight, building-permission mechanisms and enforcement. Strengthening transparency, digital monitoring and accountability in construction regulation remains essential.
All allegations remain subject to due process and judicial determination.