The J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered an FIR against several officials from the Motor Vehicle Department in Jammu, including a former Junior Assistant, Manju Sharma.
The case, identified as FIR No. 09/2024 at PS ACB Jammu, falls under Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as well as Sections 120-B and 409 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The FIR follows a comprehensive verification process initiated by the ACB in response to a communication dated March 6, 2023, from the General Administration Department. This verification sought to investigate allegations of irregularities related to the collection and deposition of passenger tax by officials at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) Jammu from 2018 onwards.
The investigation revealed that Manju Sharma, while serving as a Junior Assistant in the Accounts Section of the RTO Jammu, was responsible for collecting Passenger Tax from owners of Passenger Commercial Vehicles. However, it was found that Sharma engaged in dishonest practices by concealing a significant portion of the tax collected from vehicle owners. Instead of recording the full amount received, Sharma only reflected a fraction of it in the official records, depositing only this minimal amount into the Government Treasury while misappropriating the remainder.
The verification also uncovered that the Manual Cash Book and Day Book, essential for maintaining accurate records of tax collection and deposition, were not properly maintained during this period. This lack of proper record-keeping facilitated the embezzlement of Passenger Tax dues.
Preliminary findings indicate that over ₹10 lakh may have been misappropriated, based on a random cross-check of Government Receipt (GR) copies and Owner’s copies of GRs. The actual amount of misappropriated funds could be significantly higher as the investigation continues into the tax collections from other passenger commercial vehicles in Jammu. The ACB is also exploring the potential involvement of other RTO officials in facilitating or abetting the alleged misappropriation.
The case reflects a serious breach of public trust and is part of ongoing efforts by the ACB to address corruption within government departments. Further investigation is underway to uncover the full extent of the misappropriation and to identify any additional individuals involved in the fraudulent activities.
