Srinagar, July 7 -- Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday registered a case at police station ACB Baramulla against five officials of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs (FCS&CA) department and 9 Fair Price Shop (FPS) dealers for their alleged involvement in a large-scale embezzlement and misappropriation of government food grains in Karnah area of Kupwara district. The accused were booked under Section 13(1)(a) read with Section 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended), and Sections 61(2) and 316(5) of BNS, 2023, after obtaining previous approval from the competent authority i.e GAD Government of UT of J&K. "The case stems from a communication received from the director, food, civil supplies & consumer affairs department, Kashmir, seeking criminal action against the officials and FPS dealers after departmental inspections and physical verification revealed massive shortages of Government food grains," the ACB spokesman said in a statement. He said a joint surprise check conducted at government sale centres and fair price shops initially detected a shortage of 4,175.89 quintals of rice at Lountha Granary, Karnah kupwara. The ACB said the based on material collected during verification, ACB registered the instant FIR for offences relating to criminal misconduct, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of hovernment food grains and criminal conspiracy. "The case, inter alia, involves Umar Bashir, alias Raja Umer, then assistant storekeeper, Ashiq Hussain Mir, then assistant storekeeper, along with 12 other accused comprising public servants and FPS dealers."...