EOW files chargesheet against govt employee in fake job, land scam

Srinagar, Dec 25: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) has submitted a chargesheet against a woman habitual offender before the Court of the 4th Additional Munsiff Judge, Srinagar, unraveling a fake job and land scam being run by the accused, officials said on Thursday.

The officials identified the accused as Fouzia Afzal D/o Mohd Afzal Magray R/o Rehmatullah Colony, Sector-B, Fruit Mandi, Parimpora, Srinagar. The accused has been chargesheeted in FIR No. 54/2023 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC and has been established as a habitual offender.

They stated that the accused had been involved in duping many innocent poor persons and unemployed youth of lakhs of rupees on the false pretext of providing shops at Jehangir Chowk, 5-marla plots at Bemina, and appointment orders for Junior Assistant posts in various government departments.

In a statement, a CBK spokesperson said that the case originated from a complaint alleging that the accused, a Class-IV employee posted in the office of Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, indulged in gross criminal misconduct by issuing fake allotment orders of shops and plots. During investigation, it was revealed that these forged orders bore fabricated signatures of the Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and carried a forged seal of the District Magistrate, Srinagar.

Upon receipt of the complaint, a detailed probe was initiated by EOW Kashmir, he said.

“The investigation revealed that the accused had duped lakhs of sums from many innocent poor persons and unemployed youth on the false pretext of providing shops at Jehangir Chowk, 5-marla plots at Bemina, and appointment orders for Junior Assistant posts in various government departments. Fake allotment orders and documents bearing forged signatures were supplied to victims to make the fraud appear genuine.” the spokesperson said.

Further investigation revealed, he said, that the accused acted in her private capacity after office hours, impersonating high-ranking government officials of various departments including the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, and Divisional Commissioner’s Office, Kashmir.

He further stated that the investigation also established that Fouzia Afzal is a habitual offender, involved in multiple FIRs registered at different police stations of Srinagar district, with several other complaints under probe at EOW Crime Branch Kashmir. She has already been placed under suspension, and a departmental inquiry has recommended her premature retirement under Article 226(2) of J&K Service Conduct Rules vide inquiry report dated 14.10.2023.

“The investigation in the instant case stands concluded as “PROVED,” and the chargesheet has been submitted for judicial adjudication.” he concluded.