Pharmacist accused of corruption, absenteeism, Rs 20 lakh fraud

Srinagar, Apr 3: Serious allegations of corruption, abuse of authority, and financial misconduct have surfaced against a pharmacist in Jammu and Kashmir’s Health & Medical Education Department, raising questions about administrative oversight and accountability within the system.
A formal complaint submitted to the Secretary, Health & Medical Education Department, has accused Mohammad Salim Wani, a pharmacist substantively posted at Tangdhar in Kupwara district, of willfully defying government orders, engaging in corrupt practices, and misusing official proximity to influence postings and extract money.
According to the complaint, Wani was transferred from Srinagar to Tangdhar in October 2025 under Government Order No. 670-JK(HME) of 2025, issued in the interest of administration following earlier allegations of misconduct. The order explicitly directed him to report to his new place of posting “forthwith”, deeming him relieved from his previous assignment at the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir.
However, the complainant alleges that Wani never joined his designated posting and instead continued to remain stationed in Srinagar, with his absence from Tangdhar allegedly corroborable through official and local verification.
More alarmingly, the complaint states that Wani allegedly functioned unofficially as a Personal Assistant to senior officers within the Directorate of Health Services without any formal authorisation. Even after administrative changes, he is said to have “repositioned” himself within the Directorate without any valid government order, suggesting a pattern of unauthorised attachment and defiance of transfer directives.
The allegations go beyond absenteeism. The complaint accuses Wani, in alleged collusion with another official, of running a bribery and influence network within the department, demanding and accepting illegal gratification from officers in exchange for favourable transfers and postings. The complaint further claims that undue pressure was exerted on officials by leveraging proximity to decision-making authorities.
In one of the most serious charges, the complainant has alleged that Wani was involved in a financial fraud exceeding Rs 20 lakh during an emergency or crisis period, pertaining to the procurement of emergency items without adherence to codal procedures, raising concerns of misuse of public funds during a critical time.
The complaint has urged the government to initiate a thorough and time-bound inquiry, fix accountability, and take strict action against all those found involved, while also calling for a deeper examination of systemic loopholes that allow such alleged practices to persist. (KNO)