MUZAFFARABAD: A Special Anti-Corruption Judge here on Friday remanded a B-16 officer of the Kashmir Institute of Management (KIM) in police custody for a week, a day after his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on charges of large-scale financial embezzlement.

According to initial findings, Budget Officer Zulfiqar Ali had allegedly misappropriated more than Rs5 million during May and June this year while serving as the drawing and disbursing officer (DDO) of KIM, an autonomous institution under the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).

He had been posted to KIM on transfer from the Kashmir Cultural Academy in 2021 and was given the charge of DDO in mid-January.

KIM Director General Dr Mohammad Muqeemul Islam toldDawnthat he became suspicious after noticing irregularities in routine financial records shortly after assuming charge of the office on July 4.

He said he immediately constituted a fact-finding committee comprising Director Administration Abrar Ahmed, Directing Staff (Training & Admin) Tariq Mahmood Butt, and two other officers, Mehmooda Jabeen and Raja Yasir Hussain.

The committee’s inquiry unearthed 14 major instances of fraudulent withdrawals. It found that the suspect had submitted bogus bills, used fake and forged signatures of Mr Ahmed and Mr Butt, and withdrawn substantial sums without lawful justification, pointing to a systematic pattern of deception.

The fact-finding report, along with documentary evidence, was forwarded to S&GAD Secretary Zafar Mehmood last month, who referred the case to ACE Director General Badar Munir for action.

Acting on the reference, Mr Munir tasked a team led by Deputy Director (Legal) Mohammad Bashir to launch a formal investigation based on the KIM findings.

After obtaining the relevant documents and recording the statements of around 20 KIM officials, the investigation officer summoned Mr Ali on Thursday for questioning. According to Mr Munir, the suspect not only failed to provide satisfactory explanations but also partly confessed to some of the embezzlement during the initial interrogation.

Following this, an FIR was registered against him at the anti-corruption police station and he was taken into custody. Mr Munir said a recovery of Rs800,000 had also been made from the suspect.

On Friday, the Special Anti-Corruption Judge - District and Sessions Judge Muzaffarabad - granted seven-day physical remand of the suspect to ACE for further investigation, he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Islam appreciated his internal team for their diligence in uncovering the wrongdoing, and thanked the S&GAD secretary and ACE officials for facilitating a swift and transparent probe that led to the arrest.

He said KIM remained committed to the highest standards of transparency and institutional integrity. The detection of the embezzlement and its reporting within three months of its occurrence, he added, reflected the strength of KIM’s internal vigilance mechanisms.

“This case demonstrates that KIM will not tolerate any form of corruption. Our action sets a strong example for other institutions in ensuring accountability and good governance,” the DG said.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2025