SMC Illegal Construction Probe
Anti-Corruption Bureau Charges 10, Including 7 SMC Officials, in Batamaloo Illegal Construction
Key Points
The charges specify exact statutory provisions: Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006; Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code; Section 4-A of the Requisitioning and Development Act; and Section 9-A read with Section 20 of the Evacuees (Administration of Property) Act, 1949.
The private beneficiary named in the case is Reyaz Ahmad Dar, S/O Abdul Rahim Dar, a resident of Tengpora Batamaloo.
The chargesheet was publicly reported on August 17, with multiple outlets covering the development.
The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau has filed a chargesheet against 10 people — seven Srinagar Municipal Corporation officials and three private individuals — over alleged illegal construction near Tiny Hearts School in Tengpora, Batamaloo, according to Brighter Kashmir and Kashmir Despatch. The case, registered as FIR No. 06/2023, has been presented to the Court of the Special Judge Anti-Corruption in Srinagar.
Investigators allege that SMC officials from Ward No. 28 abused their positions and conspired with a private beneficiary to allow the construction to go ahead. The government gave formal sanction for prosecution before the chargesheet was filed, Kashmir News Observer reported.
Seven SMC Officers Named in Batamaloo Corruption Case
The seven SMC officers are all linked to Ward No. 28, the area covering the Batamaloo site, according to The Chenab Times. Three private individuals are also charged alongside them. The ACB says both oral and documentary evidence support the case against all 10 accused.
The private beneficiary at the center of the case is Reyaz Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Rahim Dar, a resident of Tengpora Batamaloo. The ACB alleges he worked in concert with the public servants to get the unauthorized construction approved and built, KIMS Kashmir reported.
Charges Span Four Separate Laws and Criminal Conspiracy
The chargesheet cites offences under four different laws. The key charge is Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006. That provision targets abuse of official position for personal or third-party gain, Brighter Kashmir noted.
Additional charges include Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, which covers criminal conspiracy. Prosecutors also invoked Section 4-A of the Requisitioning and Development Act and Section 9-A read with Section 20 of the Evacuees (Administration of Property) Act, 1949, according to Kashmir Despatch.
ACB Says Conspiracy Between Officials and Beneficiary Was Proved
The ACB stated that the conspiracy between the public servants and Reyaz Ahmad Dar was fully substantiated by evidence gathered during the investigation. The bureau collected both documentary records and oral testimony to build the case, Kashmir News Observer reported.
The chargesheet now sits before the Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court in Srinagar. The court will examine the evidence and decide how to proceed. The case reflects wider concerns about SMC officials misusing their positions to benefit private parties in Srinagar, The Chenab Times noted.
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