Anti Corruption Bureau registers corruption case over financial irregularities in Srinagar Zawoora Garden development
SRINAGAR, JUNE 05, 2026 — The Anti-Corruption Bureau of Jammu and Kashmir has registered a case following a Joint Surprise Check conducted into allegations of corruption, financial irregularities, procedural violations, and abuse of official position regarding development works executed by the Horticulture Department at Zawoora Garden in Srinagar.
The verification was initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station in Srinagar to examine the development of the Centre of Excellence at the garden. The initial enquiry revealed prima facie evidence of serious irregularities in both the tendering process and the execution of works undertaken for the project.
During the verification, it surfaced that the Notice Inviting Tender was framed without specific quality parameters and technical specifications, creating scope for arbitrary decision-making. Furthermore, the financial provisions in the tender were substantially higher than those envisaged in the approved Detailed Project Report, and the financial turnover eligibility criteria were fixed at an unusually high threshold despite a lower actual requirement.
This restrictive condition allegedly curtailed fair competition to favor a specific bidder. The findings indicate abuse of official position, criminal misconduct, and criminal conspiracy involving public servants and a beneficiary private firm, resulting in an undue pecuniary advantage to the contractor and a corresponding loss to the government.
Consequently, FIR Number 09/2026 has been registered at the Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station in Srinagar under the relevant sections of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act and the Ranbir Penal Code.
The case has been registered against the then Director of Horticulture Kashmir, members of the District Level Purchase Committee, members of the Inspection Committee, the beneficiary contractor Fruit Master Agro Fresh Private Limited, and other involved individuals. Further investigation has been taken up to identify the role and culpability of all concerned parties and to initiate appropriate legal action in accordance with the law.