J&K Anti-Graft Body’s Raid on Police Officer’s Home Sets Off Political Controversy

SRINAGAR: The raid conducted by Jammu and Kashmir’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at the residence of a serving police inspector has escalated into a full-blown political controversy, after Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary alleged that the action was motivated by “revenge” rather than genuine investigative grounds.

The ACB on Wednesday launched extensive searches at the Jammu home of Vijay Choudhary—an Inspector in the J&K Police and the deputy chief minister’s brother—in connection with an ongoing probe into alleged disproportionate assets.

According to officials, the search operation began at around 6 am. at the inspector’s residence located in the Santokh Vihar–Kalochak area on the outskirts of Jammu city. By the time reports were filed, the operation was still underway, with ACB teams examining documents, property records, and other materials as part of the inquiry.

Vijay Choudhary, who was transferred to Ladakh in September last year, is currently under suspension, though the reasons for the suspension have not been officially disclosed. The ACB has, so far, refrained from releasing detailed information about the case, maintaining that the searches are part of a routine investigation into suspected accumulation of assets beyond known sources of income.

The political temperature rose sharply when Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary and ruling National Conference (NC) leader publicly defended his brother and accused unnamed rivals of orchestrating the raid to settle personal scores. Speaking to reporters, he said the action was “driven by revenge” and framed it as an attempt to tarnish his family’s reputation. “This fight has begun, and we will fight it legally. We have full faith in India’s judiciary and in the honest officers of Jammu and Kashmir who will ensure justice. If Vijay Singh is wrong, then he should be punished,” he said, while insisting that the timing and manner of the raid raised serious questions.

Choudhary strongly defended his brother’s professional record, highlighting his years of service in militancy-affected regions such as Gursai, Thanamandi, Doda, and Supwal. He described Vijay as an officer known for his courage, integrity, and uncompromising stance against militants and criminal networks. “His entire career reflects a consistent fight against militancy and crime. Wherever he served, he earned a name for his professionalism and bravery,” the deputy chief minister asserted, suggesting that such a record had earned his brother both respect and enemies within the system.

The NC leader went further, alleging that internal rivalries within the police department had long obstructed his brother’s career progression. He claimed that certain senior officers were intent on blocking Vijay’s promotion and were now using investigative agencies to “intimidate and malign” his family. “Those sitting at the top who think that some hidden treasure will be found in this house will find nothing,” he said pointedly. “You have seen earlier actions—what has been recovered so far? Many files come to me where people are caught red-handed and later cleared. So this is a debate.”

Despite the charged rhetoric, Choudhary maintained that he and his family were prepared to face the investigation. “We are not afraid. We know who we are and what we stand for. Truth will ultimately prevail,” he said, framing the episode as part of a larger struggle against what he described as politically motivated targeting.

A statement issued by the ABC on Wednesday evening said that based on a specific input, a verification was conducted by the bureau into the allegations of possession of huge disproportionate assets by Vijay Singh Choudhary which revealed that the suspect while posted in different places raised huge assets amounting to crores of rupees which were found highly disproportionate to his known sources of income. “Further, it revealed that more than 10 properties in the shape of houses, shops and plots of land in 100 of kanals (8 kanals are equal to one acre) valued in crores have been raised by him mostly in the name of family members, his relatives and others,” the statement reads.

It added that on the basis of the verification conducted, a prima facie case of criminal misconduct was found made out against the accused under offences punishable U/S 13(1)(b) r/w section 13 (2) of PC Act 1988. Accordingly, a formal case FIR No. 02/2026 was registered at P/S ACB Central and investigation was taken up.

According to the statement, during the course of investigation, search warrants were obtained for conducting searches from the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Jammu. “Thereafter, searches were conducted by the ACB teams at different locations which includes his residential houses at Santokh Vihar, Kaluchak, Jammu, residential house at Nonial, Nowshera, Rajouri, business premises Stone Crusher and Tile Factory situated at Tutte di Khui, Bajalta, Jammu,” the statement says. It adds, “Also on the basis of information revealed during investigation, some other locations of Jammu were searched in terms of section 185 BNSS. During search, incriminating documents have been recovered and seized in the case. Further investigation of the case is going on.”