Pulwama, Oct 23: In a landmark anti-corruption verdict, the Special Judge of the Anti-Corruption Court Pulwama, Dr. Noor Mohammad Mir, on Thursday convicted Sonaullah Wani, former Junior Engineer in the Rural Development Department, in a decades-old forgery and corruption case.
The case, registered under FIR No. 24/2000 at the Vigilance Organization Kashmir (now Anti-Corruption Bureau), pertained to offences under Sections 420, 467, 471 of the Ranbir Penal Code read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006.
Investigations revealed that Wani had forged his Matriculation certificate and service book, fraudulently altering his date of birth from June 8, 1940, to June 8, 1945, allowing him to remain in government service for 21 extra months and draw an undue salary of ₹2,62,760, causing an equivalent loss to the state exchequer.
The forgery was confirmed by the Forensic Science Laboratory, Srinagar, while verification with the J&K Board of School Education established his actual date of birth.
After a thorough trial, the court held that the Anti-Corruption Bureau had proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt through documentary, expert, and oral evidence. Wani was sentenced to seven years of simple imprisonment, fined ₹3,52,760, and ordered to be lodged at Central Jail Srinagar.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau hailed the conviction as a significant step in its ongoing mission to uphold integrity in public administration. “This case underscores our commitment to ensuring that no public official misuses office for personal gain,” the Bureau said.
This verdict not only brings closure to a 23-year-old case but also serves as a stern reminder that corruption and forgery in public service will face strict legal consequences.
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