Srinagar, Oct 14 (NVI): The Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against three government employees, including a retired official, in a case involving the alleged forgery of a date-of-birth certificate to obtain undue service benefits, officials said on Wednesday.
The chargesheet was filed by the Special Crime Wing (SCW) Kashmir before the court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, in connection with FIR No. 02/2022 registered under sections 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the RPC and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Crime Branch said in a statement.
The accused have been identified as Abdul Rashid Gojri, a helper in 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.
The case originated from a communication received from the Deputy Director Agriculture, Central Kashmir, on February 15, 2022, regarding alleged manipulation of service records by officials to obtain undue benefits.
During verification, investigators found that Gojri had allegedly submitted a forged date-of-birth certificate showing his date of birth as February 27, 1973, instead of February 27, 1975, the statement said.
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.
Wani and Peer Abdul Rashid allegedly facilitated the incorporation of the incorrect date of birth into Gojri’s service records by disregarding directions for verification of documents, thereby enabling the regularisation of his services, the Crime Branch said.
The agency said the investigation established the alleged offences against all three accused. After obtaining the requisite approval and sanction concerning the two serving government employees, the chargesheet was presented before the court.
The Crime Branch also urged the public to remain vigilant against fraud and report such incidents to the department.—(NVI)
