ACB registers FIR in multi-crore HokerSar Wetland dredging scam

Srinagar: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Police Station Srinagar, has registered a First Information Report (FIR No. 07/2025) following the uncovering of massive irregularities and professional misconduct during the dredging of the HokerSar Wetland at Narbal, raising serious concerns over corruption, environmental degradation, and misuse of public funds.

The FIR comes in the wake of a Joint Surprise Check (JSC No. 17/2020) conducted by the ACB to probe allegations of mismanagement in the execution of the project. The Rs. 20.55 crore contract was awarded to M/S Reach Dredging Limited by the office of the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Kashmir under NIT No. 01 of 2018-19, dated July 7, 2018.

Irregular Allotment and Ecological Violations

Despite specific provisions in the tender guidelines barring any dumping within the HokerSar wetland periphery, the dredging work proceeded with altered parameters and no defined plan for disposal of excavated material. The project saw major deviations from the advertised specifications, with unauthorized changes in work quantities and transportation leads—ranging between 8 km and 18 km—being clubbed together, allegedly facilitating undue payments.

The probe found that much of the excavated material was never disposed of properly, breaching environmental norms and defeating the ecological purpose of the project. These actions not only inflicted ecological damage on the Ramsar-designated wetland but also caused an estimated loss of Rs. 2.29 crore to the State Exchequer, excluding royalty and minor mineral costs.

Officials Under the Scanner

The ACB identified the involvement of key public officials in collusion with the contractor company. Those named include Siraj-Ud-Din Shah, then Executive Engineer, Flood Spill Channel Division, Narbal; Ghulam Ahmad Beigh, then Executive Engineer, Flood Spill Channel Division, Narbal; Irfan Ahmad Reshi, then Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), Flood Spill Channel Division, Narbal

These officials are accused of abetting manipulation of contract terms and specifications, allowing undue financial benefits to the contractor, and compromising the integrity of the dredging initiative.

Following these findings, an FIR has been registered under Section 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for criminal conspiracy and corruption.

The ACB has stated that investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the misconduct and fix accountability for the financial and ecological loss.

The HokerSar Wetland, an ecologically sensitive area and crucial habitat for migratory birds, continues to suffer from unregulated developmental activities, raising alarm among environmentalists and local stakeholders.