Coalition orders inquiry into multi-crore security fund scam

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 21 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said that the government has ordered an inquiry into the multi-crore scam in security expenditure during the 2014 elections in the state.

“The Director General of Police (DGP) has referred the matter to the Crime Branch to initiate a time-bound inquiry,” Mehbooba said in the Legislative Assembly here.

BJP legislator RS Pathania had sought the details of action taken on the CAG report on misappropriation of security-related expenditure to the tune of Rs 115.68 crore meant for “carriage of constabulary and hiring of vehicles” during the parliamentary and Assembly elections in 2014. 

The Chief Minister said the accountant general in its report on March 28, had pointed out certain irregularities and suspected misappropriation committed by some drawing and disbursing officers (DDOs) of the Police Department in the carriage of constabulary and hiring of vehicles during the elections.

“A proposal to undertake a detailed audit through the Finance Department of expenditure incurred by all DDOs on carriage of constabulary during the elections is under consideration,” she said. At least 68 top police officials have been found involved in the scam by the Central Audit Wing of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

Reportedly, these police officials had “hired” scooters, motorcycles, bulldozers, tractors, their own cars, phased out vehicles and government vehicles as “taxis” and “buses” for carrying policemen during the elections.

They allegedly swindled Rs 115.68 crore from the security-related expenditure provided by the Central government for “carriage of constabulary and hiring of vehicles” to the Jammu and Kashmir Police.