GreaterKashmir.com:Faheem Aslam:Wednesday , August 17 , 2011.
Forged Signatures, Fake Thumb Impressions Used To Swindle Crores.Srinagar, Aug 16: What could be a tip of the iceberg, a first inspection under the Right to Information Act has revealed how officials in central Kashmir’s Budgam district have allegedly resorted to forging signatures and thumb impressions to draw the money meant for public consumption against the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPICs).
The inspection, first of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir since the implementation of the RTI legislation, shows gross irregularities in documents pertaining to the release of the EPIC money, amounting to several lakh rupees in Chadoora Tehsil of district Budgam. The documents pertain to 2002 and 2008 Assembly Elections in J&K wherein Rs 15 were to be given to each electorate against the photo he would capture for his EPIC.
The inspection was conducted by RTI activist Shahnawaz Sultan after filing a relevant RTI application in Tehsildar Office Chadoora.
In 2002 Assembly elections Rs 9 lakh were shown reimbursed for issuance of EPICs. But the documents reveal some startling details.
At serial No 259, Muhammad Sultan Wani son of Sonaullah Wani of Repora Chadoora has taken the EPIC money after having made a thumb impression on a document. But the facts say Wani is a Head Clerk in Flood Control Department who never uses a thumb impression.
“He is my father,” Shahnawaz told Greater Kashmir. “He has never taken the money. Instead when I sought five EPICs of my family members, I was told to pay Rs 100 when I should have got Rs 75 from the officials. My father is a literate man who never makes a thumb impression but signs.”
There are at least a dozen places where electorates eight to 10 have been bracketed and the money shown allotted to one of them. However, the signature against the electorates seems to be fake in the wake of similar handwriting at so many places. And it has not been delineated under which rule the money for eight to 10 persons has been “allotted” to one person.
In one of the columns, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat has been shown having received money of eight voters. But he was surprised to see his signature on the documents. “I have never taken the money. And how can the officials give money of eight persons in the hand of one person. How could they trust me?” he told Greater Kashmir.
Interestingly, at some places the signatures and the money allotted has been attested by Patwaris and Naib Tehsildars.
A fleeting look at the documents suggests that a thumb impression after every signature has been made indicating a symmetry of sorts.
There are some blank pages where one signature has been made against many voters.
In 2008, similarly, over Rs 8 lakh have been shown distributed to the Block Level Officers for onward distribution to the electorates against the EPIC photographs. But while the money hasn’t yet been disbursed, some of the BLOs have already retired from active service.
So the status of the money is unknown.
“I am not sure if an audit of this money has ever been conducted by the State’s Chief Electoral Office. This grab of public money in one Tehsil could just be a tip of the iceberg,” Sajad told Greater Kashmir. “The Election Commission of India must order a time-bound audit of this money in all constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir to see if it has reached the deserving voters. This amount varies from constituency to constituency and would naturally be millions of rupees.”
Pertinently, many times since 2008 assembly elections, complaints by people that they have not received the EPIC money have surfaced.
Pertinently, the RTI Act of 2009 provides for inspection of work, documents and records, wherever required.
‘WILL PROBE’: When contacted the Chief Electoral Officer BR Sharma told Greater Kashmir that the money is disbursed to the deputy commissioners for onward release to the Tehsildars. “It is the Tehsildars who in turn give money to the deserving voters,” he said.
With regard to the RTI inspection of Tehsil Chadoora, Sharma said the Deputy Commissioner should be in a position to inquire it. “We shall also probe the matter and conduct an audit. Whenever such complaints surface, we certainly probe them. Here also we shall do the same after verifying the contents of the inspection,” he said.
The inspection, first of its kind in Jammu and Kashmir since the implementation of the RTI legislation, shows gross irregularities in documents pertaining to the release of the EPIC money, amounting to several lakh rupees in Chadoora Tehsil of district Budgam. The documents pertain to 2002 and 2008 Assembly Elections in J&K wherein Rs 15 were to be given to each electorate against the photo he would capture for his EPIC.
The inspection was conducted by RTI activist Shahnawaz Sultan after filing a relevant RTI application in Tehsildar Office Chadoora.
In 2002 Assembly elections Rs 9 lakh were shown reimbursed for issuance of EPICs. But the documents reveal some startling details.
At serial No 259, Muhammad Sultan Wani son of Sonaullah Wani of Repora Chadoora has taken the EPIC money after having made a thumb impression on a document. But the facts say Wani is a Head Clerk in Flood Control Department who never uses a thumb impression.
“He is my father,” Shahnawaz told Greater Kashmir. “He has never taken the money. Instead when I sought five EPICs of my family members, I was told to pay Rs 100 when I should have got Rs 75 from the officials. My father is a literate man who never makes a thumb impression but signs.”
There are at least a dozen places where electorates eight to 10 have been bracketed and the money shown allotted to one of them. However, the signature against the electorates seems to be fake in the wake of similar handwriting at so many places. And it has not been delineated under which rule the money for eight to 10 persons has been “allotted” to one person.
In one of the columns, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat has been shown having received money of eight voters. But he was surprised to see his signature on the documents. “I have never taken the money. And how can the officials give money of eight persons in the hand of one person. How could they trust me?” he told Greater Kashmir.
Interestingly, at some places the signatures and the money allotted has been attested by Patwaris and Naib Tehsildars.
A fleeting look at the documents suggests that a thumb impression after every signature has been made indicating a symmetry of sorts.
There are some blank pages where one signature has been made against many voters.
In 2008, similarly, over Rs 8 lakh have been shown distributed to the Block Level Officers for onward distribution to the electorates against the EPIC photographs. But while the money hasn’t yet been disbursed, some of the BLOs have already retired from active service.
So the status of the money is unknown.
“I am not sure if an audit of this money has ever been conducted by the State’s Chief Electoral Office. This grab of public money in one Tehsil could just be a tip of the iceberg,” Sajad told Greater Kashmir. “The Election Commission of India must order a time-bound audit of this money in all constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir to see if it has reached the deserving voters. This amount varies from constituency to constituency and would naturally be millions of rupees.”
Pertinently, many times since 2008 assembly elections, complaints by people that they have not received the EPIC money have surfaced.
Pertinently, the RTI Act of 2009 provides for inspection of work, documents and records, wherever required.
‘WILL PROBE’: When contacted the Chief Electoral Officer BR Sharma told Greater Kashmir that the money is disbursed to the deputy commissioners for onward release to the Tehsildars. “It is the Tehsildars who in turn give money to the deserving voters,” he said.
With regard to the RTI inspection of Tehsil Chadoora, Sharma said the Deputy Commissioner should be in a position to inquire it. “We shall also probe the matter and conduct an audit. Whenever such complaints surface, we certainly probe them. Here also we shall do the same after verifying the contents of the inspection,” he said.
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