ACB sleuths nab former J&K babu turned millionaire

SRINAGAR: This real-life drama has all the ingredients of a Bollywood pot-boiler.

A former top bureaucrat, who served as Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation, turned out to be one of the topnotch businessmen in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has blown a lid off a serious financial fraud and seized movable and immovable properties worth crores from former Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation Kuldeep Khajuria.

During a raid at Khajuria’s residence, ACB recovered some incriminating documents. What followed was nothing short of a shock for the sleuths. Khajuria, who retired as Secretary to Jammu and Kashmir government in 2016, turned out to be a leading businessman.

“On scrutiny of these documents, it was revealed that Khajuria has acquired huge properties and assets, both movable and immovable, worth crores of rupees. It includes a palatial house at Jammu, a flat at Hyde Park Estate DLF Chandigarh, another at Golden Palm at Noida, and one more in Vardhman Springdale Haryana, besides land measuring two kanals and 17 marlas (seven kanals form one acre) at Jammu, Plot measuring 48’X80’ at Jammu, Land measuring 13 kanals and 11 marlas at Samba, Land measuring 10 marlas in Sainik Colony Jammu and 50.5 tolas golden ornaments”, said an ACB spokesman.

What, however, sent ACB sleuths in a tizzy were his business deals and partnerships in top firms.

“It included partnership in M/S Kashmir Bottles situated at SIDCO Growth Industrial Samba, share in the partnership in National Marketing Corporation, 50% share Partnership in M/S Moonlight Bar and Restaurant situated at Bus Stand Bari Brahmana, Manufacturing industrial unit of corrugated Boxes,) Unit M/S Bhaskar lights at SIDCO Birpur, Samba and Restaurant at Channi Himmat Jammu”, said the spokesman

ACB sleuths also found that he had lent interest-free loan of Rs 20 lakhs to Bal Krishan and had FDR’s worth Rs. 40 lakh.

“Properties were found to have been acquired during his service period from 1984 to 2016. He remained on various lucrative posts, including Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, Commissioner Municipal Corporation, Jammu, Vice Chairman, JDA, Director Urban Local Bodies, Jammu and Secretary, RDD. Assets and properties have been raised by him during his service period by resorting to illegal and corrupt practices”, he said.

Subsequently, seven teams of Anti-Corruption Bureau, Jammu, conducted raids at seven locations at Jammu, Delhi, Chandigarh and Haryana.

“During the course of searches, ACB teams found incriminating documents relating to the acquisition of assets and properties from ill-gotten money”, he said.