Crime Branch starts ‘probe’ into shopping malls in Srinagar

Srinagar: Crime Branch, Kashmir, is conducting “checks” at a number of places in Srinagar regarding illegal structures including shopping malls amid complaints about the involvement of top Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials.

Official sources told GNS that the Crime Branch Kashmir started conducting checks across the city since early Friday morning.

Confirming it, a senior Crime Branch officer told GNS that there have been numerous allegations that SMC top brass has allowed illegal structures including shopping malls to come up without following the due procedures against illegal gratifications.

“There also are complaints that some shopping complexes have been allowed without provision of mandatory parking spaces. Also numerous complaints have been received where the officials of the SMC have allowed large deviation of building permissions,” the officer said, adding, “At instances, there are complaints that some structures have been allowed without even permission.”

All the complaints, the officer said, are being looked into.

“Presently we are conducting checks at several places and those found at fault, whether officials or builders will be dealt with in accordance with law,” he added. (GNS)