At 93, Court Convicts Former J&K Cooperative Chief for Manipulating Age
A Srinagar court has delivered a decisive judgment reinforcing accountability in public institutions by sentencing Mohammad Shafi Banday, the former Managing Director of the J&K Cooperative Central Land Development Limited, to six years in prison for falsifying his age records.
Case Background
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir (CBK) reported that Banday manipulated his official date of birth to unlawfully extend his service tenure beyond the legal age limit.
Court Findings
Following a thorough trial, the City Court of Srinagar found Banday guilty under Sections 420, 468, and 471 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) for forgery, cheating, and record falsification.
He was sentenced to two years of simple imprisonment on each charge, along with a fine of ₹5,000 per offence. The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently.
Details of the Offence
The case originated from a complaint alleging that Banday had replaced his true birth date—26 June 1932—with a fabricated one—1 September 1939—by using a forged certificate. This fraudulent modification added more than seven years to his service period.
Institutional Impact
The ruling serves as a reminder of the ongoing commitment to exposing misconduct within government bodies and ensuring transparency in the management of public offices.
Author’s summary: The Srinagar court’s verdict against Mohammad Shafi Banday highlights the judiciary’s firm stance on integrity and accountability in public administration.