18 May 2026 –
A former engineer of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department has been chargesheeted in a case involving alleged forgery of his date of birth in service records. According to Kashmir Life, a formal chargesheet has been filed as part of an investigation into the matter, which pertains to tampering with official documents to gain service benefits — including, potentially, delayed retirement.
Date-of-birth forgery in government service records is a recurring issue across J&K’s public sector, often surfacing only after departmental audits or complaints from colleagues. Manipulating such data can allow employees to extend their service tenures and accumulate additional pension benefits, at direct cost to the public exchequer.
The case adds to a pattern of accountability proceedings being initiated in the Power Development Department, which has faced scrutiny on multiple fronts in recent years. The department has been in the news for issues ranging from administrative lapses — including the inclusion of two deceased engineers in a transfer list earlier this year — to power supply mismanagement and billing irregularities in the Valley. Filing of a chargesheet signals that investigators have assembled sufficient evidence to proceed with departmental or criminal action. The outcome of this case will be closely watched given its implications for public service integrity.
