STATE
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Mon, Jul 6, 2026 12:02 PM
ACB Registers FIR Against 14 in Rs 5.57-Crore Food Grain Misappropriation Case in Kupwara
Srinagar, July 6 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) 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 misappropriation of government food grains worth over ₹5.57 crore in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Monday.
According to an official statement, the FIR has been registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, after obtaining prior approval from the General Administration Department.
The case stems from a communication by the Director, FCS&CA Department, Kashmir, seeking criminal action following departmental inspections and physical verification that revealed large-scale shortages of government food grains.
Officials said a joint surprise inspection at the Lountha Granary in Karnah detected a shortage of 4,175.89 quintals of rice. Subsequent verification by a departmental sub-committee, along with the ACB, found further shortages at government sale centres and Fair Price Shops under the Tangdhar, Karnah-A and Karnah-B circles of Kupwara district.
The total loss to the government exchequer has been estimated at ₹5,57,18,657.25, the statement said.
The ACB alleged that the accused public servants and FPS dealers entered into a criminal conspiracy to misappropriate government food grains entrusted to them by abusing their official positions for unlawful financial gain.
Among those named in the FIR are then Assistant Storekeepers Umar Bashir alias Raja Umer and Ashiq Hussain Mir, besides 12 other government officials and Fair Price Shop dealers.
Searches were conducted at multiple locations following the registration of the case, while further investigation is underway, the ACB said.
The bureau also appealed to the public to report corruption through its official helpline and email. ANB
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