SRINAGAR, Jan 17: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has strongly criticized the Jammu and Kashmir government’s recent transfer of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official Abdul Wahid, who was actively investigating high-profile corruption cases. The move, she argued, exposes a troubling “nexus” between the powerful and the corrupt, raising serious doubts about the administration’s commitment to justice and accountability.
The government’s order, which repatriates Abdul Wahid, previously serving as SSP and designated as Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in the ACB, to the Home Department, is part of an apparent overhaul in the anti-graft body. Wahid was leading probes into alleged corruption in the Srinagar Smart City Project and had recently filed disproportionate assets (DA) cases against two senior officers associated with the project.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Mehbooba Mufti stated, “The removal of Abdul Wahid & his colleagues from the Anti-Corruption Bureau highlights the risks faced by officials who dare to challenge corruption. It exposes a nexus between the corrupt and the most powerful.”
She accused the government of “punishing the whistleblower,” suggesting that the removal of an officer engaged in sensitive investigations reflects the administration’s alleged misuse of agencies like the ACB. Mufti further claimed that such actions are part of a larger pattern of targeting individuals in Jammu and Kashmir under the pretense of anti-corruption measures, particularly to raid properties of locals.
“This decision raises critical questions about the government’s genuine intentions regarding justice and accountability,” the former chief minister added, calling for greater transparency and protection for officers who work towards exposing corruption.