26 Yrs After FIR, Court Acquits 3 In Milk Federation Case

2026-04-09 08:04:14

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Nearly 26 years after the FIR was registered, a court in Srinagar has acquitted three accused in the Kashmir Milk Producers Federation corruption case, holding that the prosecution failed to prove the charges.

Additional Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Srinagar, Mehreen Mushtaq, observed that the prosecution has“failed to establish its case against the accused.”

The court acquitted Abdul Majeed Bhat, then In-charge Managing Director of the Kashmir Valley Milk Producers Federation, Cheshma Shahi, Srinagar; Gayas Ud Din, then Accounts Officer; and Ab Rashid Rather, then Accounts Assistant.

The case, registered as FIR No. 24/1999 by the Vigilance Organization (now Anti-Corruption Bureau), had alleged large-scale financial irregularities, including embezzlement, fraudulent payments, tampering of records, and abuse of official position.

According to the prosecution, the accused were involved in irregular milk procurement, excess payments to contractors, manipulation of accounts, illegal drawal of arrears, and mismanagement, allegedly causing a loss exceeding Rs 3.13 crore to the state exchequer.

The trio had been charged under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006, along with relevant provisions of the Ranbir Penal Code, including Sections 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using forged documents as genuine), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

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After examining witnesses and documentary evidence, the court observed that the prosecution has failed to establish any illegal or corrupt means used by the accused to cause pecuniary advantage to themselves or any other person.

The prosecution as per the court could not also substantiate the essential ingredients of forgery, cheating, or criminal conspiracy, resulting in their acquittal.

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