Jammu: The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) has registered 82 graft cases and seized properties worth crores of rupees as part of its drive to rid Jammu and Kashmir of the dubious tag of being one of the most corrupt states in the country.
After Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad took over, the first step he initiated to stem the rot was to make the anti-graft law more stringent so as to make public servant more accountable, media advisor to the chief minister K B Jandial said on Tuesday.
The J&K Prevention of Corruption Act was amended to empower the state government/SVO to attach, during investigation, property acquired by a public servant through corrupt means, he said.
Under this provision, properties valued at Rs two crore of six officers facing graft charges have been attached. Over half a dozen more such cases are under process and may face similar action, he said.
The SVO has registered 82 cases over the past one year, which includes 45 cases of public servants being caught red-handed, Jandial said.
Government has also cracked down on public servants having disproportionate assets and 11 cases have been registered so far, he said, adding their properties are valued to be around 10 crore.
A survey by Transparency International India and the Centre of Media Studies had last year ranked J&K only next to Bihar as the most corrupt state in the country.
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