JAMMU The state vigilance sleuths have seized over four kgs of gold and more than 11 kgs of silver worth crores of rupees following raids on the house of a Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) official, booked on corruption charges.
A State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) spokesperson said the vigilance sleuths raided CAPD official Pranav Gandotra after finding prima facie true a complaint of embezzlement of several lakh rupees of the government money by him in 2015 during his tenures as in-charge of Tehsil Supply Office (TSO) at Rajouri and Kalakote.
The SVO earlier had registered a case against Gandotra under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly embezzling the money out of Rs 80 lakh given to him by CAPD’s assistant director, Rajouri for disbursement among private ration dealers against the handling charges of rations.
On examination of the ration dealers and scrutiny of the official records, it transpired that Gandotra had misappropriated a huge sum from public exchequer by disbursing lesser amount to the dealers and manipulating the records, the SVO spokesperson said.
He added that during the preliminary enquiry, it also transpired that Gandotra during short span of his career invariably enjoyed prized postings, which he had been able to secure on the basis of illegal activities and ill-gotten money.
On prima-facie establishment of the allegations, the SVO conducted simultaneous raids with the help of local police and magistrates at various places including residential houses of the accused in Jammu in presence of the independent witnesses, the spokesperson said.
During the raids, over four kg of gold and more than 11 kgs of silver in form of ornaments and utensils worth crores of rupees were recovered and seized, he said.
The raids also yielded documents for various immovable and moveable properties, including three luxurious cars, belonging to the accused, said the spokesperson, adding that a detailed and in-depth scrutiny of the seized documents is in progress.
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