Five Officials, Nine Fair Price Shop Dealers Booked in Kupwara Food Grain Scam
Srinagar, July 6, KNT: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu and Kashmir, has registered an FIR against five officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department and nine Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement and misappropriation of government food grains worth over ₹5.57 crore in Karnah area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
The case, registered as FIR No. 02/2026 at Police Station ACB Baramulla, invokes provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, along with relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), after obtaining prior approval from the General Administration Department (GAD), Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the ACB, the criminal case stems from a communication received from the Director, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Kashmir, recommending criminal action after departmental inspections and physical verification revealed massive shortages of government food grains at the Lountha Granary in Karnah.
The bureau said a Joint Surprise Check conducted at Government Sale Centres and Fair Price Shops initially detected a shortage of 4,175.89 quintals of rice at the Lountha Granary. Subsequent physical verification by a departmental sub-committee and an independent verification by the ACB uncovered further shortages at various Government Sale Centres and Fair Price Shops falling under Tangdhar, Karnah-A and Karnah-B circles.
The investigation has so far revealed an alleged loss of ₹5,57,18,657.25 to the government exchequer.
According to the ACB, the shortages were the result of a well-orchestrated criminal conspiracy involving public servants and private beneficiaries, who allegedly misappropriated government food grains entrusted to them by abusing their official positions for unlawful pecuniary gain.
The FIR has been registered for offences relating to criminal misconduct, criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of government food grains.
Among those named in the case are Umar Bashir alias Raja Umer, then Assistant Storekeeper, Ashiq Hussain Mir, then Assistant Storekeeper, besides twelve other accused comprising officials of the department and Fair Price Shop dealers.
Immediately after the registration of the FIR, the ACB launched searches at multiple locations linked to the accused persons. The bureau said further legal proceedings have been initiated in accordance with law, while the investigation is continuing. [KNT]
© Kashmir News Trust (KNT). Unauthorized use without attribution is prohibited.
