SRINAGAR, September 23, 2026 – A massive financial fraud, dubbed the ‘Turmeric Processing Scam,’ echoed strongly in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Tuesday as Ramnagar MLA Dr. Sunil Bhardwaj exposed a multi-crore embezzlement operation targeting innocent women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Bringing the critical issue to the floor of the House, Dr. Bhardwaj detailed how the scam severely impacted women across the Chanunta Block of Ramnagar, as well as spanning the Udhampur, Jammu, Reasi, and Samba districts. He informed the Assembly that in 2024, individuals identified as Sanjeev Verma, Simran, and Parkash, operating under the banner of an organization called ‘Sahara Jagriti Manch,’ approached local women under the pretext of skill development and livelihood generation. The accused formed SHGs comprising around 200 women under the guise of establishing a Haldi (Turmeric) Processing Unit. However, in alleged collusion with corrupt bank officials, the scammers deceitfully managed to get loans worth crores of rupees sanctioned directly in the names of these women without their knowledge or consent, ultimately absconding with the collected funds.
During his address, the legislator launched a scathing critique of the banking procedures that facilitated the fraud, specifically questioning how branches like SBI Ramnagar sanctioned unverified loans ranging from ₹50,000 to several lakhs in the names of these vulnerable women. Dr. Bhardwaj pointed out the glaring double standards in the banking system, asking why ordinary citizens are subjected to rigorous documentation and extensive verification for minimal loans, while scammers easily bypassed all regulatory protocols. Escalating his demands, the MLA called for immediate and strict legal action against the perpetrators and the colluding bank officials, urging the government to initiate a high-level Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry to unearth the full nexus. Furthermore, he questioned the National Conference government’s stance and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s silence on the continuous financial frauds plaguing the Union Territory. Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, Dr. Bhardwaj noted that this marks the third major financial scam in the region recently, following the Citizen Cooperative Bank and Central Bank frauds, and urged the administration to act swiftly to protect the poor from further financial exploitation.
Published by True Roots Media Network