Former Sumbal Municipal Officer Chargesheeted for Allegedly Amassing Assets Beyond Known Income
Srinagar, March 12, KNT: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has presented the fourth chargesheet against former Executive Officer of Municipal Committees Sumbal, Hajin and Bandipora, Abdul Rashid Shah, along with three co-accused, before the court of the Special Judge Anti-Corruption in Baramulla in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
The chargesheet follows investigations into allegations that the former municipal officer accumulated assets far beyond his known sources of income while holding public office, a case that emerged after a complaint alleging corruption and fraudulent appointments in several municipal committees of north Kashmir.
According to ACB officials, the case originated from a complaint lodged by Mohd Yosuf, a resident of Sumbal in Bandipora district, alleging multiple instances of corruption, illegal appointments and possession of disproportionate assets by Abdul Rashid Shah and his nephew Javid Ahmad Shah.
Following the complaint and other inputs, the bureau conducted a secret verification which led to the registration of multiple cases against Shah. Investigators subsequently registered four separate cases against the accused officer, including three cases related to alleged illegal and fraudulent appointments in the Municipal Committees of Sumbal, Hajin and Bandipora.
Officials said two additional cases were also registered against Javid Ahmad Shah, who was serving as a junior assistant in the municipal committee Bandipora, in connection with alleged fraudulent mutation and disproportionate assets.
Investigations in the three cases related to alleged illegal appointments have already been completed and chargesheets have been filed against Abdul Rashid Shah and others in courts of law, officials said.
During the investigation of the disproportionate assets case, registered as FIR No. 09/2013, investigators found that the accused public servant had allegedly acquired several assets and incurred expenditures during the check period which were found to be beyond his known sources of income.
According to ACB investigators, the accused constructed a double-storey residential house on ancestral land at Papchan village in Bandipora and also built additional accommodation near the same property. Investigators further found that several parcels of land were allegedly purchased during the check period at Papchan and other locations in Bandipora district.
The investigation also revealed that the accused allegedly purchased a double-storey house at Gazaliabad HMT in Srinagar and a triple-storey shopping complex in Bandipora town.
Officials said several other land transactions were identified during the probe, including land measuring about two kanal and ten marlas near Masjid Sharief at Takiyabal in Bandipora district and multiple additional plots at Papchan and Papchan Road in Bandipora.
Investigators also found that several plots of land were purchased in Jammu’s Sidhra area, including multiple plots registered in the name of the accused’s wife, Afroza Bano, officials said.
According to investigators, the accused also allegedly owned a Maruti A-Star car and several expensive household items which were recovered or documented during house searches.
ACB officials said investigators also examined bank accounts maintained in different financial institutions including J&K Bank Branch Bandipora, J&K Grameen Bank branches at Bandipora and Nadihal, and Punjab National Bank in Srinagar.
The probe further examined expenditures made on purchase of gold ornaments from a jewellery outlet in Nowhata area of Srinagar, renovation of residential houses, purchase of verifiable items, education of children and fixed deposits among other financial transactions.
Following completion of investigation, the ACB presented the chargesheet against Abdul Rashid Shah, son of Noor-ud-Din Shah and resident of Papchan Bandipora, for offences punishable under provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, the Public Men and Public Servants (Declaration of Assets and Other Provisions) Act, and the Ranbir Penal Code.
Charges have also been filed against three co-accused, Afroza Bano, wife of Abdul Rashid Shah; Saif-ud-Din Baba of Doniwari Kupwara; and Sameer Ahsan Shah of Papchan Bandipora — for alleged offences related to abetment under provisions of the Ranbir Penal Code.
Officials said the next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for April 28, 2026. [KNT]
