ACB registers FIR against Kulgam DySP in DA case; conducts raids in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh

Jammu, June 26

The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday registered a case and conducted raids on the various properties allegedly owned by a deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in J&K and Himachal Pradesh in connection with disproportionate assets (DA) case, officials said.

The ACB is investigating allegations of acquisition of disproportionate assets, including two hotels in Manali in Himachal worth crores of rupees accumulated by DySP Chanchal Singh, they said.

“The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case on the outcome of a secret verification conducted into the allegations that the accused DySP has acquired huge assets disproportionate to his known source of income,” a spokesman of ACB said.

Singh is currently serving as DySP in Kulgam area of South Kashmir.

The verification conducted by the ACB found that the accused officer, during his posting at lucrative posts, indulged in corrupt practices and accumulated various moveable and immoveable properties in his own name and in the names of his family members and relatives, he said.

These included benami properties, which include immovable properties comprising residential houses, plots, shops and business establishment in different districts of Jammu province and two hotels located in district Kullu (Manali), Himachal Pradesh. He also acquired huge bank balances and valuables, the spokesman said.

The ACB obtained search warrants from the court and conducted searches at the residences and offices of the accused as well as family members and relatives, including residential houses and business establishments located at different districts of Jammu province, Srinagar and Manali.

During the course of searches, many incriminating documents and valuables were found, which were seized and taken for investigation purposes, the spokesman said.

The ACB team also searched two hotels at Manali and recovered one agreement of sale of 12.03 hectares of land at Mohal and Phati Burua areas, executed between one Ved Parkash of Shimla and Rekha Devi, wife of Singh, he said.

For this sale, the spokesman said, a consideration of Rs 2.85 crore was fixed, out of which she gave Rs 50 lakh in advance—Rs 25 lakh through cheques and Rs 25 lakh in cash.

During the search conducted at Hatli in Kathua, some documents pertaining to benami properties in the shape of will deeds of huge chunks of land were also recovered, he said.

The searches at different locations are still in progress.