JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday produced a charge-sheet against Mohd Farooq, then Junior Assistant and dealing hand in the office of the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO), Manjakote, in a case related to the alleged misappropriation of rice and cooking costs under the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme.
The charge-sheet was filed in FIR No. 26/2018 registered under sections 5(1)(c), 5(1)(d) read with 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006 BK, along with Sections 465, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B of the RPC.
The case was registered on December 28, 2018, at Police Station Vigilance Organisation Jammu, now ACB-J, following a verification that allegedly revealed misappropriation of MDM rice in Zone Manjakote.
According to the ACB, the initial verification concerned approximately 200 quintals of rice pertaining to the fourth quarter of the financial year 2014-15. The alleged irregularities involved the then ZEO Manjakote, Shah Nawaz Khan, and his dealing hand, Mohd Farooq, who was In-charge of the Mid-Day Meal scheme, allegedly in connivance with storekeeper Mumtaz Hussain.
During the investigation, the ACB scrutinised the records collected in the case and obtained an opinion from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
The investigation allegedly established that Shah Nawaz Khan and Mohd Farooq, by abusing their official positions, prepared and used fake, forged and fabricated indents and authority letters by manipulating official records.
The ACB said the investigation established prima facie that 256.40 quintals of rice meant for the Mid-Day Meal Scheme was misappropriated. The value of the allegedly misappropriated rice was assessed at Rs 8,03,557.60.
In addition, an amount of Rs 4,61,578, meant as cooking cost under the scheme, was also allegedly misappropriated by the concerned ZEO and Mohd Farooq.
According to the ACB, the alleged acts resulted in a total loss of Rs 12,65,135.60 to the state exchequer.
The then ZEO, Shah Nawaz Khan, has since died. Consequently, prosecution sanction was obtained from the competent authority for launching proceedings against the surviving accused, Mohd Farooq.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau produced the charge-sheet before the Court of the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Rajouri, on August 31, 2026.
The court has fixed September 29, 2026 as the next date of hearing.
