Srinagar: Crime Branch Kashmir on Friday filed chargesheet before a court here against former Director Geology and Mining Department J&K for inducted “Rig Machine inducted” in the department despite field reports regarding its unsatisfactory performance.

In this connection the crime branch had filed a case (FIR No: 12/2011) in 2011 under section 5(1)d, 5(2) PC Act Samvat Act 2006 r/w 120-B RPC in police station CBK against four accused persons namely Ishtiaq Ahmad Ashai, the then Director Geology and Mining Department J&K, of Ibrahim Colony Parraypora Srinagar, Ashok Dhar (the Senior Drilling Engineer) of Trikuta Nagar Jammu, Mushtaq Ahmad Kirmani (the then Technical Officer to the Director ) of Parimpora Srinagar and S Rama Krishnan, the then General Manager Marketing M/S Revathi Equipment Ltd. Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

“By abusing their official positions and criminal misconduct (they) got the rig machine inducted in the department of Geology and Mining J&K despite the field reports that the machine had not performed satisfactorily as per the laid down specifications when put to series of test checks,” Crime Branch said in a statement.

The Crime Branch Kashmir said that the case was registered following a communication from the Administrative Department of Commerce J&K alleging that the Directorate of Geology and Mining J&K had purchased DTH Hydraulically Operated Concentric Drilling Rig from M/S Revathi Equipments Coimbatore Tamil Nadu and the machine had not performed satisfactorily when put to series of tests and checks as per conditions laid down in the agreement.

“During the course of investigation, it was proved that the accused persons by abusing their official positions under a well knit criminal conspiracy with the supplier firm facilitated and released the cost of machine in crores in favour of the Supply Firm by not conducting the test checks of the machine as per the specifications enshrined in the supply order,” it said, adding, “This has been done with dishonest intention, thereby causing loss to the State Exchequer.”

Reader correspondent