JKPCC Scam: Crime Branch Raids Delhi House Of Ex-MD JKPCC

Srinagar, Mar 18: Crime Branch of police on Wednesday carried out a raid at New Delhi in connection with major scams in Jammu & Kashmir Projects Construction Corp (JKPCC).

 “A team from Crime Branch Kashmir was deputed to New Delhi and it carried out searches in the premises of Dileep Thusoo, former managing Director JKPCC,” an official of the Crime Branch told GNS.

“During the searches incriminating material has been seized as per procedure established which is being examined in the case,” the official added.

Earlier, this month, the raids were carried in the premises of the Dileep Thusoo at Bhagwati Nagar Jammu, Vikar Mustafa Shuntho, also ex-Managing Director JKPCC at Qamarwari Srinagar, Mohammad Abass Lone, former Deputy General Manager JKPCC at Peerbagh Srinagar, Shabir Ahmad Najar, the then Deputy General Manager JKPCC, at present HIG Colony Bemina, Mohammad Sideeq Mala, ex-Deputy General Manager at Harran Ganderbal, Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, J.E JKPCC of Sogam Lolab Kupwara at present Tangpora Byepass Srinagar.

The J&K administration had last year handed over the investigation to crime branch of the state police, which registered an FIR and started investigations.

The probe was ordered amid numerous complaints about the functioning of JKPCC, particularly relating to corruption in civil contracts, illegality in appointments at multiple levels and excessive cost and time overruns. The probe followed the appointed of a fact finding committee by the government to look into all these allegations.

The committee, as per the government, looked into the manner of awarding contracts to contractors often on a nomination basis without following transparent tendering procedures, diverting funds from one project to another leading to a large number of incomplete projects.

Apart from these, the committee also looked into irregularities in appointments at various levels, including that of the Managing Director, inefficiency in functioning and huge time and cost overruns in project implementation, reasons for estimates for construction being much higher than those of the PWD.  It had submitted a voluminous report bringing out in detail large irregularities in the operation of the JKPCC and recommended on improving the corporation, a government spokesman had said at the time of announcing the Crime Branch probe.

GNS