JAMMU: Acting on the directions of a local court, Jammu Police have registered an FIR against former Mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Chander Mohan Gupta and nine others in connection with the alleged theft of 13 cows and 24 calves, along with misappropriation of nearly ₹97 lakh belonging to Hare Krishna Gaushala Charitable Trust.The case was registered by SHO Bakshi Nagar under sections 316, 318(3), and 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, on the complaint of Rohit Bali, General Secretary of the trust.
The accused include Narender Verma alias Nitai Dass, his wife Manju Verma, Vijay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Deepak Singh Rana, Varinder Dogra, Deepak Singla, Rajeev Sambyal, and Rajinder Abrol.
According to the complaint, the Gaushala, established in 2017, initially had 25 cows and 24 calves purchased by Bali. However, inquiries by the Naib-Tehsildar Jammu Khas and the Chief Animal Husbandry Officer, Jammu, later confirmed that 13 cows and 24 calves had gone missing, while the accused allegedly interfered in the Gaushala’s management and misappropriated its funds.Bali alleged that despite repeated requests, police initially refused to register an FIR, prompting him to approach the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Jammu. The matter was subsequently assigned to Judicial Magistrate 1st Class (Munsiff) Rekha Sharma, who on February 1, 2024, directed SHO Bakshi Nagar to act.
When the order was not complied with, Bali filed a contempt petition against the SHO on June 6. Taking a stern view on September 26, the court issued a final warning, following which the FIR was finally registered.
Police confirmed that the investigation is now being carried out by ASI Ashok Kumar.
