In a significant development, the Court of Additional Sessions Judge (Anti-Corruption) in Jammu, O.P. Bhagat, has directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu to provide an update on the investigation into a multi-crore scam related to the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Scheme in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The case, initially filed with the CBI, was transferred to the ACB on April 19, 2023. The court has set a deadline for the status report submission, requiring it to be filed by or before September 26, 2023.
Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, who filed the original complaint on October 10, 2022, alleging a scam ranging between Rs 500-700 crores, had sought the registration of an FIR with the CBI. However, no action was taken on the complaint, prompting Ahmed to file an application before the Special Judge Anti-Corruption in Jammu on February 7, 2023, seeking an update on the complaint’s status.
In response, the CBI informed Ahmed that the complaint from October 10, 2022, had been forwarded to the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 19, 2023. However, as of the recent court order, no final outcome has been disclosed regarding the investigation.
Advocate Ahmed argued that nearly five months have passed since the case was handed over to the ACB, with no disclosure of the investigation’s results. He further highlighted that the ACB is legally obligated to inform the complainant of the inquiry’s outcome within seven days, citing a directive from the Supreme Court of India in the case of Lalita Kumari v/s Government of U.P & Ors.
Judge O.P. Bhagat, after considering Advocate Ahmed’s submissions, has ordered the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu to provide the latest status update on the complaint, shedding light on the progress of the investigation into the alleged Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Scheme scam. This update is expected to be filed by or before September 26, 2023.
News Summary:
- The Court of Additional Sessions Judge (Anti-Corruption) in Jammu, O.P. Bhagat, has directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to provide an update on the investigation into a multi-crore scam related to the Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The case, initially filed with the CBI, was transferred to the ACB on April 19, 2023, following a complaint lodged on October 10, 2022, by Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed.
- The court has set a deadline of September 26, 2023, for the ACB to submit the status report regarding the investigation’s progress.
- Advocate Ahmed argued that the ACB is legally obligated to inform the complainant of the inquiry’s outcome within seven days, citing a directive from the Supreme Court of India.
- The court order seeks transparency and progress in the investigation of the alleged scam, which is estimated to range between Rs 500-700 crores.
