Srinagar, Nov 01 (KNS): Over 60 cases have been registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in 2019 with several politicians and bureaucrats of Jammu and Kashmir also in the vigilance net.

The government last year set up the ACB for tackling increasing corruption in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ACB has also taken on highly influential people since its inception.

As per the official details, the ACB has registered 60 cases for the 2019, 29 in Kashmir and 31 in Jammu.

Several cases have been registered against politicians and bureaucrats for the last 10-months.

The anti-graft has also registered a case against former chairman of the bank for allegedly misusing his position.

The ACB has also registered a case against deputy mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation, J&K Bank and government officials for “illegal appropriation of subsidy with inflated project cost for establishment of CA storage at Lassipora, Pulwama".

A case has also been registered against former Director Archieves and Archaeology Department for allegedly misusing his position and had ordered enhancement of consolidated wages without authorization.

A case has also been registered against former directors of Rural Development Department Jammu for allegedly misusing official position and causing loss to state exchequer.

The anti-graft body has also registered a case against former Managing Director JAKFED for misuse of official position.

The ACB has also booked Divisional Manager of State Forest Corporation (SFC) Udhampur in a graft case.

An official of ACB said that there are complaints against several top government officials for their involvement in corruption.

Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam has said the establishment of ACB would do away with the shortcomings and multiplicity of roles in the existing anti-corruption mechanism operational in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The ACB has been empowered. It is as powerful as CBI. The government has strengthened the ACB so it acts against powerful people,” he has said. (KNS)