Srinagar, Sep 1: The Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) Wednesday registered a case against the Assistant Regional Transport Office (ARTO) Kupwara, Motor Vehicle Inspectors, and an agent for collecting money by illegal means.
A statement of ACB issued here said that a surprise check was conducted by the ACB after the allegation that ARTO Kupwara had planted a person Bilal Ahmad Sheikh of VilgamKupwara to run all the affairs of his office like Travel Test, Replacement of Driving Licenses, Fitness and Learning Licenses, Audit Approval, Registration and Print Card for collecting money by illegal means.
It said that the joint surprise check was conducted at the site of the driving test, NagriKupwara in association with Executive Magistrate 1st Class Handwara.
The statement said that during the surprise check, the accused Sheikh was found actively involved in conducting the driving tests with the officials of ARTO, Kupwara.
It said that the search of the personal car (JK01R 4373) of Sheikh at the site of driving test led to recovery of 138 original driving licenses besides other incriminating material like provisional appointment slips for driving tests, application reference slips, application for addition of new class of vehicle, journey sheets of vehicles, transport plans, learners licenses, and handwritten details regarding tests held on 4 August 2021.
The ACB statement said that a case FIR No 09/2021 was registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla under Section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the ARTO Kupwara Sofi, Motor Vehicle Inspectors Khursheed Ahmad Kanna, Abdul Hamid Bhat and private agent Sheikh for improper performance of public duty in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy.
It said that during the initial investigation, it came to the fore that there was a deep nexus among the accused officers of the Transport department and the private agents (brokers) to fleece the people.
The statement said that to break this unholy nexus, the ACB conducted searches of residence of ARTO Kupwara Sofi at NowsheraBoniyar, Baramulla and residence of agent Sheikh at VilgamKupwara in pursuance to the warrants issued by the Court of Special Judge, Anti Corruption, Baramulla.
It said that during searches, Rs 15 lakh cash and various incriminating material having bearing on the case were recovered.