Several Officials Suspended After Arrests; Cases Include Alleged Bribery, Fund Embezzlement and Disproportionate Assets
SRINAGAR, SEPTEMBER 26 :
Ten engineers currently serving in the Jammu and Kashmir Public Works (Roads & Buildings) Department are facing cases registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), with several officials having been arrested, suspended and subjected to departmental proceedings.
The disclosure was made by the R&B Department in the Legislative Assembly in response to a question raised by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania regarding alleged administrative irregularities and the transfer of engineers facing ACB, CBI, Crime Branch and Regular Departmental Action (RDA) proceedings.
According to the Government’s reply and accompanying annexure, the cases against the serving engineers relate to allegations including bribery, alleged embezzlement of public funds and possession of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
Officials Named in Government Reply
Manzoor Ahmad Dar, In-charge Executive Engineer (Mechanical), is facing FIR No. 02/2026 registered by ACB Anantnag. The Government said he was serving in the Jal Shakti Department on deputation and was placed under suspension after his arrest by the ACB.
Mubarak Ahmad Ganaie, Assistant Executive Engineer (Civil), R&B Sub-Division Sopore, is facing FIR No. 13/2024 registered by ACB Baramulla. He was suspended following his arrest and attached to the office of the Chief Engineer, PW(R&B), North Kashmir. An RDA is under consideration.
Sanjay Koul, Junior Engineer (Civil), Office of the Superintending Engineer, Udhampur-Reasi Circle, is facing a CBI case, RC0042021A0012. The Government said he was suspended following his arrest, while departmental proceedings have reached the concluding stage.
Mubarak Ahmad Wani, Junior Engineer, R&B Sub-Division Dooru, is facing FIR No. 05/2023 registered by ACB Anantnag. He was suspended following his arrest and attached to the office of the Chief Engineer, PW(R&B), Kashmir. Departmental action is under consideration.
Shakeel Ahmad Dar, then Assistant Engineer, Block Pahalgam, has been named in FIR No. 05/2022 registered by ACB Anantnag. The Government said he was allegedly caught while accepting a bribe, following which he was suspended and departmental proceedings initiated. The RDA is at the concluding stage.
Hakeem Imtiyaz, then Junior Engineer, R&B PWD Shopian Division, is facing FIR No. 06/2020 registered by ACB Anantnag in connection with alleged embezzlement of funds. He was suspended and attached to the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Shopian.
Farooq Ahmad Shah, then Assistant Executive Engineer, PW(R&B) Division Handwara and presently In-charge Executive Engineer of the same division, is facing FIR No. 18/2022 registered by ACB Baramulla over allegations relating to assets disproportionate to known sources of income. The case remains under ACB investigation.
Liyaqat Javid Sheikh Gojar, Assistant Engineer, PMGSY Division Thathri, is facing CBI/ACB Jammu case RC0042026A0008. The Government said he was suspended and attached to the office of the Superintending Engineer, PW(R&B) Circle Doda-Kishtwar, while investigation is continuing.
The annexure also names Arshad Amin, then Junior Engineer in the REW/BDO Office at Changa, Doda, against FIR No. 06/2021 registered by ACB Central Jammu, and Tasaduq Reyaz, then Junior Engineer at the BDO Office, Hardaboora, against FIR No. 08/2022 registered by ACB Baramulla.
The Government stated that both officials had been arrested while serving in the Rural Development Department and that Regular Departmental Actions had been initiated against them.
Govt Rejects Allegation of Premature Transfers
On the allegation that engineers facing corruption or criminal proceedings were being prematurely transferred, the Government rejected the charge.
It said 124 Executive Engineers and 402 Assistant Executive Engineers had been transferred or adjusted following promotions and departmental requirements. Transfers of Junior Engineers, according to the Government, were carried out by the concerned Chief Engineers and Engineer-in-Chief in accordance with the applicable transfer policy.
The Government specifically maintained that no in-service engineer facing a CBI, ACB, RDA or criminal case had been prematurely transferred.
It further said officials facing serious misconduct allegations had been placed under suspension, while disciplinary proceedings or RDAs had been initiated in other cases. Their subsequent adjustment, the Government stated, would depend upon the outcome of the respective proceedings.
Tendering Irregularities Also Addressed
On allegations concerning tendering practices, the Government said there had been no reported increase in single-tender allotments or arbitrary cancellation of tenders in violation of procurement procedures since 2024 in the Pir Panjal Zone or Nowshera Division.
It said only two tenders in the Pir Panjal Zone during 2025-26 were allotted on a single-bid basis at the second call, after compliance with GFR-2017 and relevant MoRTH guidelines.
The Government also stated that no cases involving duplicate funding, misrepresentation of RDD roads or execution of works without following the prescribed tendering process had been reported in REW Rajouri. It clarified that there was no Nowshera Division under REW Rajouri.
ACB, Mughal Road Cases Remain Under Process
Regarding the Bitumen/Tar case of 2020, the Government said the matter remains under investigation by the ACB.
The Mughal Road Project case is pending before a Division Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The department’s arguments were concluded on September 17-18, while the matter was listed for September 26 for arguments on behalf of Hindustan Construction Company Ltd.
JKPCC Irregularities and Disciplinary Proceedings
The Government also informed the House about allegations concerning irregular appointments and other issues in the Jammu & Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC).
It said Fact-Finding Committees were constituted in 2018 and 2019, and their reports were subsequently accepted by the competent authority. The Government also provided details regarding disciplinary proceedings involving former JKPCC officials, including cases where proceedings had been dropped and others that remain pending.
The disclosures came amid questions in the Assembly over administrative accountability, transfers and departmental action involving engineering officials.(KNC)