J&K Crime Branch files chargesheet against 5 in fake teacher appointment case
Synopsis
Three men who never held a legitimate government job reportedly walked into teaching posts in Budgam using forged transfer orders — and two facilitators allegedly printed the fake documents. The J&K Crime Branch has now filed a chargesheet against all five, with forgery charges that carry a potential life sentence, signalling intensified scrutiny of J&K's education recruitment apparatus.
Key Takeaways
The EOW Kashmir, J&K Crime Branch filed a chargesheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Budgam in FIR No.
Five accused are charged under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B RPC — covering cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Three accused — Mohammad Ayaz Rather , Sheikh Ruhail Ahmad , and Tanveer Ahmad Rather — allegedly joined as teachers in Zone Nagam, Charar-i-Sharief using forged orders.
Investigation confirmed the Directorate's order book was closed as on 31 December 2019 , exposing the documents as fictitious.
Nisar Ahmad Bhat and Shakir Gull allegedly facilitated fabrication and printing of the forged official documents.
The Crime Branch has urged the public to report economic fraud to the SSP, EOW Kashmir at sspeow-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in .
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Kashmir of the Jammu & Kashmir Crime Branch filed a chargesheet on Wednesday before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Budgam, against five accused persons in a case involving fraudulent appointments in the J&K Education Department. The case, registered as FIR No. 36/2021, invokes Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 201 and 120-B RPC — provisions covering cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
The Five Accused
The chargesheet names the following individuals: Nisar Ahmad Bhat, son of Gh. Hussan Bhat, resident of Iqbal Colony, Tral, Pulwama; Shakir Gull, son of Sheikh Gul Mohammad, resident of Kachdoora, Shopian; Mohammad Ayaz Rather, son of Abdul Rehman Rather, resident of Takipora, Ratnipora, Shopian; Sheikh Ruhail Ahmad, son of Sheikh Shafiq Ahmad, resident of Kachdoora, Shopian; and Tanveer Ahmad Rather, son of Abdul Rahman Rather, resident of Khudpora Mowgam, Anantnag.
Of these, Mohammad Ayaz Rather, Sheikh Ruhail Ahmad, and Tanveer Ahmad Rather are accused of having obtained teaching positions through forged transfer and adjustment orders, while Nisar Ahmad Bhat and Shakir Gull allegedly acted as facilitators who arranged the fabrication and printing of counterfeit official documents.
How the Fraud Was Uncovered
The case originated when the Director, School Education Kashmir flagged a communication revealing that three individuals had joined as teachers in Zone Nagam, Charar-i-Sharief, District Budgam, on the basis of purported transfer and adjustment orders allegedly issued by the Directorate. A probe was immediately ordered by the Crime Branch.
Investigation revealed that the orders carried forged signatures, order numbers, and dispatch and endorsement numbers. Records obtained from the ZEO Nagam and CEO Budgam confirmed that the three accused teachers had been placed on the basis of these questioned documents. Crucially, verification from the Directorate established that its order book had been closed as on 31 December 2019, rendering the order and endorsement numbers fictitious.
Further investigation confirmed that the three accused had never held any legitimate appointment in the Education Department — meaning they had been drawing salaries or occupying posts on entirely fabricated credentials.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
With the allegations found proven to the satisfaction of investigators, the EOW Kashmir presented the chargesheet before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Budgam, for judicial determination. The sections invoked carry serious penalties: Section 467 RPC (forgery of valuable security) alone can attract a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the Ranbir Penal Code.
This case is among several economic offence matters the J&K Crime Branch has pursued in the post-reorganisation period, reflecting increased scrutiny of government recruitment processes in the Union Territory.
Public Advisory from Crime Branch
The Crime Branch has urged citizens to remain vigilant against economic frauds of this nature and to report suspicious activity to the SSP, EOW Kashmir. Complaints may also be submitted via email at sspeow-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in. With the chargesheet now before the court, the case moves to the judicial stage, where the accused will face formal trial proceedings.
Point of View
Suggesting gaps in real-time document authentication at the district level. The fact that the Directorate's own order book closure date became the decisive forensic clue points to a basic record-keeping safeguard that should, in principle, be automated and cross-checked at the point of joining. With J&K's bureaucracy still recalibrating post-reorganisation, cases like this will test whether the Union Territory's anti-corruption machinery can move from reactive chargesheeting to proactive credential verification. The public advisory to report fraud is a welcome step, but structural reform of appointment workflows is the harder and more necessary fix.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the J&K fake education department appointment case?
It is a fraud case in which three individuals allegedly joined as teachers in Zone Nagam, Charar-i-Sharief, District Budgam, using forged transfer and adjustment orders purportedly issued by the Director, School Education Kashmir. Investigation confirmed they had never held any legitimate appointment in the Education Department.
Who are the five accused named in the chargesheet?
The five accused are Nisar Ahmad Bhat (Pulwama), Shakir Gull (Shopian), Mohammad Ayaz Rather (Shopian), Sheikh Ruhail Ahmad (Shopian), and Tanveer Ahmad Rather (Anantnag). Nisar Ahmad Bhat and Shakir Gull allegedly facilitated the fabrication of forged documents, while the other three allegedly used those documents to secure teaching posts.
What charges have been filed in the case?
The chargesheet invokes Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, 201, and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, covering offences including cheating, forgery of valuable security, using forged documents as genuine, causing disappearance of evidence, and criminal conspiracy. Section 467 RPC alone carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
How was the fraud detected?
The fraud came to light after the Director, School Education Kashmir, flagged that three persons had joined teaching posts using suspicious transfer orders. Investigation found forged signatures and fictitious order numbers, and verification confirmed the Directorate's order book had been closed as on 31 December 2019, proving the documents were fabricated.
How can the public report similar education department fraud in J&K?
The J&K Crime Branch has advised citizens to report suspicious activities to the SSP, EOW Kashmir. Complaints can also be submitted via email at sspeow-kmr@jkpolice.gov.in.
