The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jammu and Kashmir has registered FIRs against a woman officer who allegedly amassed movable and immovable assets disproportionate to her known sources of income and was allegedly involved in the diversion and misappropriation of government food grains meant for poor, marginalised and needy people.
The ACB J&K registered an FIR against Sheeba Inayat, then Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CA&PD), now Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Baramulla, over alleged malpractices in the distribution of government food grains under the Public Distribution System (PDS) between June 2013 and June 2015.
She has also been accused of supporting a criminal conspiracy allegedly hatched with Mohammad Shafi Rather alias Kandaman, then a salesman in the CA&PD Department, Baramulla, and other unidentified public servants and private persons.
The ACB had conducted a verification into allegations of unauthorised diversion and misappropriation of government food grains, manipulation of official distribution and beneficiary records, and failure to properly account for and remit government revenue.
During the verification, the ACB allegedly established that government food grains were unauthorisedly diverted or re-appropriated from the Above Poverty Line (APL) category to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) categories, involving a quantified financial implication of Rs 26,32,468.
The verification also revealed an unexplained shortage of 16,763.77 quintals of government food grains, valued at Rs 1,67,63,770 at the applicable APL issue rate.
The ACB also found substantial discrepancies between consolidated district statements and circle-wise distribution statements.
According to the agency, there was an abnormal increase in the number of ration cards and households during the 2014 floods, followed by a sharp decline thereafter. The ACB said the pattern prima facie indicated manipulation of beneficiary records and unauthorised distribution of government food grains.
The alleged irregularities resulted in a wrongful loss of Rs 2,61,90,562 and corresponding wrongful gain to Sheeba Inayat, Mohammad Shafi Rather and other public servants, according to the ACB.
Consequently, FIR No. 04/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla under Sections 5(1)(c) and 5(1)(d), read with Section 5(2), of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006, and Sections 409 and 120-B of the RPC against Sheeba Inayat, then Assistant Director, Food, District Baramulla; Mohammad Shafi Rather, alias Kandaman, then salesman in the CA&PD Department, Baramulla; and other public servants.
The investigation has been taken up.
During the investigation, searches were conducted at the residential and office premises of Sheeba Inayat and Mohammad Shafi Rather pursuant to search warrants issued by the Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla. The ACB said incriminating material was seized during the searches.
Female Officer Accused of Amassing Disproportionate Assets
In a separate case, the ACB J&K registered another FIR against Sheeba Inayat for allegedly accumulating assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.
According to the ACB, the assets allegedly include substantial bank balances, fixed deposit receipts (FDRs), LIC policies and jewellery, besides immovable properties such as a five-storey commercial shopping complex in Baramulla and plots of land in Baramulla, Gulmarg, Kreeri and Chowadi in Jammu.
The agency alleged that the assets acquired and expenditure incurred by the officer were disproportionate to her income from known sources. The ACB alleged that the officer had intentionally enriched herself through corrupt and illegal practices while serving in government.
Consequently, FIR No. 03/2026 was registered against her at Police Station ACB Baramulla under Section 5(1)(e), read with Section 5(2), of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat 2006.
During the course of the investigation, searches were conducted at the residential and office premises of Sheeba Inayat, JKAS, who was then serving as Block Development Officer, Singhpora/Pattan, pursuant to search warrants issued by the Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla.
The ACB said incriminating material and evidence were seized during the searches and that further investigation in the case is underway.
