Political worker booked over alleged Rs 8.25 lakh fraud involving SPO job, Amarnath Yatra tent deal

Anantnag: Anantnag Police have registered a case against political worker Aabid Hussain Nengroo over allegations that he took Rs 8.25 lakh from a man after promising to arrange a Special Police Officer (SPO) job and facilitate permission for setting up tents at Pahalgam during the Amarnath Yatra.

“Anantnag Police books political leader Aabid Hussain Nengroo for alleged ₹8.25 lakh job scam – promised SPO job + Pahalgam tent permission for Amarnath Yatra. FIR No. 283/2026 registered at PS Anantnag. Investigation on,” police said in an official statement.

The case has brought renewed attention to allegations of money dealings and internal disputes that had surfaced within the BJP’s Anantnag unit earlier this month.

In the first week of August, according to police, a complaint was received at Police Post Khanabal from Waheed Ahmad Itoo, who alleged that Nengroo used his political influence to assure him of an SPO appointment in the Police Department and permission to install tents for pilgrims at Pahalgam.

Police said the complainant alleged that he paid Rs 8.25 lakh on the basis of these assurances. The promised job and permission were allegedly not provided, following which he approached the police.

Anantnag Police then registered FIR 283/2026 under Sections 318(4) and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Anantnag and have begun an investigation.

The allegations against Nengroo are yet to be established in court, and the investigation is continuing.

The police action comes weeks after a separate controversy rocked the BJP’s Anantnag unit following a Tiranga rally organised in Housing Colony, Khanabal, on August 5 to mark the anniversary of the Centre’s 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370.

During the rally, some BJP workers were seen raising slogans that drew criticism for their derogatory references to Kashmiri women. The incident triggered political backlash, following which the BJP suspended nine office-bearers pending an inquiry.

The suspended members later apologised for the slogans but also levelled allegations of corruption and financial irregularities within the party’s Anantnag unit.

Among the allegations made publicly was a claim concerning money allegedly collected in connection with permissions and arrangements for tents during the Amarnath Yatra. Those allegations were disputed and had not been independently established at the time.

Allegations and counter-allegations

The latest police case is significant because it involves one of the names that had figured in the earlier internal dispute.

Nengroo has previously been identified in BJP records as a district-level functionary in Anantnag.

Earlier allegations made by suspended party workers included claims that money had been sought in connection with Yatra tent permissions. One suspended BJP worker had alleged that Rs 8.25 lakh was involved in a dispute linked to such arrangements. Nengroo had denied the allegations, according to media reports, and maintained that the money was connected to a private financial transaction rather than any party-related activity.

The BJP’s Anantnag leadership had also rejected allegations of party office-bearers being able to issue government permissions, pointing out that official permissions are granted by the administration.

The latest FIR, however, means that the allegations have now become the subject of a formal police investigation.