Explain stand on appointments in J&K Bank: ACB to Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), probing alleged scams in J&K Bank, has asked former Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti to explain whether any backdoor appointment made in the Bank had her consent.

Senor Superintend Police (SSP), ACB, in a letter (SSP/ACBK/FIR-10/2019/3064) dated 03-08-2019 informed the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President, that during the course of investigation of case FIR No 10/2019 at police station ACB, dated 08-06-2019, it has surfaced that some appointments were made by Chairman J&K Bank on references and recommendations of few ministers.

“It may please be clarified whether such references had your endorsement, verbal or otherwise for appointments in J&K Bank,” he asked Mehbooba.

The PDP chief has been asked to clarify her position at a time when the Valley is on edge over the reports that Center is contemplating to revoke special status of the state in coming days. In recent days, Mehbooba has tried to unite the regional parties to build pressure on the Center not to revoke Article 35A, which gives special privileges to the citizens of J&K.

On July 22, the ACB registered a case against the former Bank chairman Parvez Ahmed Nengroo for ‘criminal misconduct’ under J&K Prevention of Corruption Act 2006. Earlier on June 8, the governor administration removed Nengroo from the post of Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the J&K Bank.

Nengroo was facing charges of favouritism and corruption and last year, governor Satya Pal Malik had exposed a scam during the People’s Democratic Party-Bhartiya Janata Party government. He had said that the selection list of 528 candidates in the Bank was changed to appoint political workers of the parties.

There are allegations that illegal and fraudulent appointments were made in the Bank with political patronage when the Mehbooba led PDP-BJP alliance was in power from 2016 to 2018.