J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Houses, business establishments of 6 officials raided
Documents of “illegal” assets seized
Jammu, December 7
Statewide raids on the houses and business establishments of six officers by the Vigilance Organisation (VO) today yielded documents pertaining to illegally acquired wealth by these persons. The VO made these raids to cleanse the administration on the directions of Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad.

2 security personnel killed
Srinagar, December 7
Two security personnel were killed by militants and one person was kidnapped while two ultras were arrested along with fake currency and arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir over night, an official spokesman said.

Geelani given Haj permission
Srinagar, December 7
A day after breakaway Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani claimed that he was refused permission to perform Haj, the government tonight allowed him to proceed to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage after being denied consent continuously for the past five years, official sources said.

BJP wants tainted ministers dropped
Jammu, December 7
Dr Nirmal Singh, president of the state unit of the BJP, today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, to drop all tainted ministers from his Cabinet. In a statement here, Dr Nirmal Singh said that Mr Azad should ask the tainted ministers in the state to resign.

Cannabis over 8,000 kanals destroyed
Jammu, December 7
An illegal cultivation of cannabis over 8,000 kanals of land in Pulwama and Anantnag districts of Kashmir has been destroyed by officials of the Excise Department. This was disclosed at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, to launch a drive against trafficking of narcotics and drug abuse.

Strike hits supply of petrol, diesel
Jammu, December 7
Most of the petrol stations here went dry today as drivers of the tankers went on strike to protest against the restrictions imposed by the police on the entry of trucks into the municipal limits between 8 am and 8 pm.

Houses, business establishments
of 6 officials raided
Documents of “illegal” assets seized
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 7
Statewide raids on the houses and business establishments of six officers by the Vigilance Organisation (VO) today yielded documents pertaining to illegally acquired wealth by these persons. The VO made these raids to cleanse the administration on the directions of Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Among those whose houses were raided are a former Joint Commissioner of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, a Regional Transport Officer, a top officer of the Social Welfare Department, a superintending engineer and a DFO.

A spokesman of the VO said that the raids yielded information on huge assets acquired by these officers. Their properties include residential buildings, land, business establishments, vehicles and educational institutions. Some of these officers run B.Ed colleges.

A number of incriminating documents were also seized by the VO in these raids conducted under the supervision of five territorial SSPs of the Vigilance Organisation.

The search of the residence of a former Joint Commissioner of the JMC revealed possession of huge assets including two palatial bungalows here, a nursing home, a banquet hall, a bar-cum-restaurant and a big building housing a bank.

Three vehicles, an Optra, a Maruti van and a Santro, were found at one of the business premises with which the officer is associated. He had partnership in three firms through his wife.

During a raid on the residence of a RTO, VO officials detected that he owned 12 kanals of land and a college building worth rupees one crore at Jakh on the Jammu-Pathankot national highway. He also owned a B.Ed college at Katra.

The RTO also owned other properties including over eight kanals of land worth rupees one crore, a shopping complex, a pollution check centre and a driving institute. Three luxury vehicles were found at his residence.

Other material, including court seals and blank stamp papers, which were probably being used for preparing fake documents, have also been recovered from his house. The RTO is said to be close to a senior minister in the Azad Cabinet.

Searches of the premises owned by a top officer of the Social Welfare Department at Srinagar revealed possession of a house worth Rs 20 lakh at Anantnag and another house worth Rs 60 lakh at Natipora in Srinagar. A number of bank accounts and other incriminating documents were recovered.

A superintending engineer belonging to the Kupwara district of Kashmir has also been found, prima-facie, in possession of disproportionate assets, including three houses in the Kashmir valley. Documents pertaining to bank deposits have also been recovered.

A DFO, who is the only earning member in the family and at present posted in Kupwara, was detected to have built three houses. One of his houses constructed over two kanals of land in Srinagar was valued at Rs 1.5 crore. His other house in the Al-Farooq colony has been valued at Rs 40 lakh and he sold another house registered on the name of his mother for over Rs 50 lakh.

Searches have revealed bank deposits of at least Rs 8 lakh. Two cars registered on the name of his father and daughter, who are not earning hands, were also found.

What baffled the VO during raid at the house of a girdwar of the Revenue Department was that he had acquired assets worth crores in the Udhampur district. These include a palatial house worth Rs 30 lakh at Tikri, a petrol station, a building on over 16 kanals of land on the national highway and a stone crusher. Cash amounting to Rs 75,000 and half kg of gold was also recovered during the raid at his premises.

2 security personnel killed

Srinagar, December 7
Two security personnel were killed by militants and one person was kidnapped while two ultras were arrested along with fake currency and arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir over night, an official spokesman said.

He said militants fired upon a patrol party at Kulgam, about 70 km from here in South Kashmir,  last night.

The security forces returned the fire and in the ensuing gunbattle, two security personnel were killed. However, militants later escaped under cover of darkness, he said.

Militants kidnapped Basharat Ahmad from Lal Chowk, near here, this afternoon.

The security forces arrested two suspected militants along with fake currency worth Rs 1.64 lakh and one pistol with a magazine at Dadhal in Baramula during a routine checking of vehicles last night. — UNI

Geelani given Haj permission

Srinagar, December 7
A day after breakaway Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani claimed that he was refused permission to perform Haj, the government tonight allowed him to proceed to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage after being denied consent continuously for the past five years, official sources said.

They said Mr Geelani along with his wife and former moderate Hurriyat chairman Moulvi Abbas Ansari have all been given permission to proceed to Saudi Arabia on Haj.

The sources said Mr Geelani, his wife and Moulvi Ansari are likely to leave for Jeddah on December 17.

Addressing a news conference here yesterday, Mr Geelani said he had been denied permission to perform Haj continuously for the past five years.

‘’The government’s decision is unfortunate and unjustified. This is a clear discrimination and goes against the Islamic teachings and moral values,’’ he said, condemning the decision. — UNI

BJP wants tainted ministers dropped
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 7
Dr Nirmal Singh, president of the state unit of the BJP, today urged the Chief Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, to drop all tainted ministers from his Cabinet. In a statement here, Dr Nirmal Singh said that Mr Azad should ask the tainted ministers in the state to resign.

He said that Mr Azad should fulfil his promise of providing a corruption-free and transparent administration in the state.

In case Mr Azad failed to do so, the BJP would intensify its agitation against corruption and organise demonstrations at the block level.

Cannabis over 8,000 kanals destroyed
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 7
An illegal cultivation of cannabis over 8,000 kanals of land in Pulwama and Anantnag districts of Kashmir has been destroyed by officials of the Excise Department. This was disclosed at a meeting held here today under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, Mr Vijay Bakaya, to launch a drive against trafficking of narcotics and drug abuse.

About 70 persons have been booked for cultivating cannabis.

Mr Bakaya asked the police and the Narcotics Control Bureau to take measures to prevent trafficking. He said licences of those chemists should be cancelled who were found dealing in contraband drugs.

Concern was expressed over the growing menace of alcoholism in Kathua, Udhampur and Jammu districts. The Chief Secretary stressed for launching an awareness campaign against the menace.

Strike hits supply of petrol, diesel
Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 7
Most of the petrol stations here went dry today as drivers of the tankers went on strike to protest against the restrictions imposed by the police on the entry of trucks into the municipal limits between 8 am and 8 pm.

These restrictions have been ordered following the directions of the High Court to check pollution and proper regulation of traffic.

The petrol tanker drivers went on strike yesterday afternoon and by this morning many filling stations were running out of their stocks of diesel and petrol.

Some petrol stations have rationed the sale by imposing a limit of filling fuel worth only Rs 500 in each light motor vehicle.