ACB Registers FIR against DySP in DA case; conducts raids
The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday registered a case and conducted raids on various properties allegedly owned by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Chanchal Singh in connection with a disproportionate assets (DA) case, officials said. The ACB is investigating allegations of Singh acquiring assets far exceeding his known sources of income, including two hotels in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, worth crores of rupees.
According to a spokesman of the ACB, a case was registered following the outcome of a secret verification conducted into the allegations against the accused DySP. The verification revealed that Singh, during his tenure at lucrative posts, engaged in corrupt practices and amassed various movable and immovable properties under his name and in the names of his family members and relatives.
These properties include benami properties, which consist of residential houses, plots, shops, and business establishments in different districts of Jammu province, as well as two hotels located in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, Singh acquired substantial bank balances and valuables, the spokesman stated.
The ACB obtained search warrants from the court and conducted searches at the residences and offices of the accused, as well as those of his family members and relatives. These searches took place in different districts of Jammu province, Srinagar, and Manali, targeting residential houses and business establishments.
During the course of the searches, numerous incriminating documents and valuables were discovered and seized for investigation purposes. The spokesman highlighted that the ACB team also searched two hotels in Manali and recovered an agreement of sale for 12.03 hectares of land in the Mohal and Phati Burua areas, executed between Ved Parkash of Shimla and Rekha Devi, Singh’s wife.
The agreement indicated that a consideration of Rs 2.85 crore was fixed for the land sale, with Rs 50 lakh already paid in advance — Rs 25 lakh through cheques and Rs 25 lakh in cash. This transaction further substantiates the allegations of disproportionate assets accumulated by the DySP.
Additionally, documents pertaining to benami properties in the form of will deeds of substantial chunks of land were recovered during the search conducted at Hatli in Kathua. These findings add to the evidence suggesting the officer’s involvement in corrupt practices.
The searches at different locations are ongoing as the ACB continues its investigation into the case. The recovery of incriminating documents and valuables during these raids provides significant leads for the ongoing probe against DySP Chanchal Singh.
