Early Times Report
DODA, Jan 30: The special judge, anti-corruption, Doda, has directed SSP of vigilance organisation to probe the allegations of corruption and malpractices in education department in the district and take action under law.
The court directive came in a petition filed on the basis of documents obtained from education department, Doda, through RTI Act.
The documents 'reveal' malpractices in the appointment of ReT teachers during 2014-15, allegedly involving then in charge CEO, Doda (DEPO), Mohammad Ayaz Iqbal Mughal, then ZEO, Ghat, Nisar Ahmed, Shaiesta Tabassum, in charge of legal cell, teacher Athar Pervez and others. The alleged fraud revolves round private school teacher Farid Ahmed Naik who, with the help of some officials of education department, Doda, was alleged to have prepared fake papers of non-existent Educational Guarantee Scheme (EGS) centre, Guwari Dashnan. He allegedly projected himself as educational volunteer of the fake centre and managed his appointment as ReT teacher in July 2014 in Upper Primary School, Chitran, allegedly misleading judiciary and the directorate of school education, Jammu.
The documents also reveal that Farid had approached MLA, Doda, with the fake claim that while he worked as education volunteer in EGS centre, Guwari Dashnan, from July 2005 to October 2008, he had neither been paid salary nor converted into ReT. On this, the MLA vide his DO letters of September 12, 2011 and December 7, 2011 referred the case to the SSA State Project Director and Deputy Commissioner, Doda, for consideration who forwarded the case to CEO, Doda, vide letter No Edu/SPD/SSA/235-36 of January 9, 2012 and another letter of September 16, 2011. Accordingly, the CEO, Doda, vide his March 20, 2012 letter No CEO/D/ReT/40513 asked the ZEI, Ghat, for a detailed report.
The ZEO, Ghat, vide his April 16, 2012 letter asked for factual report from then Cluster Resource Person (CRP), Headmaster Lower High School Dashnan, and Zonal Resource Person (ZRP) Firdous Hussain. While the CRP, through his unsubstantial brief report, endorsed the claim of Farid Ahmed, the ZRP, on the basis of record, reported that Farid had never worked as educational volunteer in non-existent EGS centre, Guwari, in zone Ghat. Rather he worked as teacher in private school -- Peoples Model Middle School, Dhar -- from 2003 to 2011. This was also reported by headmaster of the private school in his 'No Demand Certificate' issued to Farid on May 2, 2011.
Surprisingly, ZEO, Ghat, Nisar Ahmed vide his letter No ZEO/G/346 of July 2, 2012, addressed to CEO, Doda, projected the distorted reports of CRP and Headmaster of HS, Dashnan, only and allegedly suppressed the factual report of ZRP Firdous.
According to the complaint, EGS centre, Guwari, was closed by its education volunteer Babli Devi in December 2004. In addition to this, the ex-CEO, Doda, vide his letter No CEO/D/SSA/13816-17 of August 18, 2012 and another letter No CEO/D/RET/24038-39 of October 30, 2013 addressed to State Project Director, SSA, raised serious objections against the false claim of Farid, particularly as regards the non-availability of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was necessary for engagement of educational volunteer and opening of EGS centre, reluctance of ZEO, Ghat, to issue certificate regarding functioning of centre during 2005 to 2008 and genuine reasons for delay in the submission of the claim and endorsement of ZRP.
Following objections by then CEO, the accused moved the state high court in Jammu, which on December 6, 2013, gave direction to accord consideration to the petitioner's case in light of averments made in the petition.
However, then incharge CEO, who is at present principal of HSS, Jatheli, did not pay any heed to the objections raised by the former CEO, Doda, and recommended his case to the director school education, Jammu, for grant of approval for the appointment of Farid as ReT teacher vide letter No CEO/D/Legal/4645 of June 17, 2014. After approval was granted, he was appointed as ReT teacher in Upper Primary School, Chitran, vide order No CEO/D/legal/20122-23 of July 4, 2014.
The matter was brought to the knowledge of former Education Minister Naeem Akhter who had reportedly directed the director school education, Jammu, to probe the allegations. The director, in turn, forwarded the case to CEO, Doda, who further assigned the task of verification to incharge legal cell Ather Pervez. When nothing came out, the complainant moved the court.
The complaintant alleged that the factual report of ZRP Firdous Hussain was also available with legal cell in charge Ather Pervez but he too took no action.
It is pertinent to mention here that EGS scheme was banned in 2006 by HRD ministry. This was conveyed by State Project Director, SSA, vide letter No Edu/SPD/SSA/32/2006/11260-73 of March 2, 2006 that inspite of the ban, then in charge, CEO, Doda, had issued engagement order to Farid. |
