Shopian, March 23,: Police in South Kashmir’s Shopian district have arrested an accused for allegedly withdrawing money from a deceased person’s bank account and registered a case against him, officials said.
The accused, identified as Mudassar Hassan Shah, a resident of Tarkawangam, was found involved in the fraudulent withdrawal of funds belonging to a deceased customer, they said.
The case has drawn attention due to its link with a broader investigation into financial irregularities at a Jammu and Kashmir Bank branch in Tarkawangam, where funds from multiple customer accounts had earlier gone missing.
Officials said the matter surfaced last year after discrepancies were reported in several bank accounts, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the branch manager and attachment of his property.
In a separate complaint, Police Station Zainapora initiated another probe after a woman alleged that the entire amount in her late father’s bank account had been withdrawn shortly after his death.
The complainant, Zarifa, daughter of Mohammad Yousuf Shah, said she discovered that all funds from her father’s account were withdrawn on January 14, 2019, a day after his death on January 13.
Police said the amount involved was approximately ₹5 lakh, which was allegedly transferred into the accounts of relatives of the accused.
“Investigation revealed that Mudassar Hassan Shah fraudulently withdrew the amount from the deceased’s account,” a police official said.
Following the findings, police registered FIR No. 31/2026 under relevant sections of law against Mudassar Hassan Shah and his brother, Ashiq Hussain Shah, a Patwari, both residents of Tarkawangam.
Officials told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that further investigation is underway and additional arrests or disclosures cannot be ruled out.
The case also has links to a previous corruption incident involving the accused’s brother. Ashiq Hussain Shah, a Patwari by profession was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on December 20 in Pinjoora area of Shopian while allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹25,000.
Police said the developments point towards a pattern of alleged misconduct, though further verification is part of the ongoing investigation.
Locals have welcomed the action taken by police and called for strict measures, including identification and confiscation of any illegally acquired assets linked to the accused.
“We appreciate the action taken, but there should be strict punishment and recovery of the money,” a local said.
Officials reiterated that the investigation is in progress and assured that all aspects of the case, including financial trails and involvement of other individuals, are being examined. [KNT]
