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| Illegal appointment of KAS officer: GAD 'misplaces' file | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, July 10: At a time when the Governor's administration has virtually launched a war against corruption and backdoor appointments in J&K, an important file in the General Administration Department (GAD) has gone missing.
The designated Public Information Officer (PIO) of GAD (KAS section) has told an RTI applicant that the file that is being sought under the RTI Act was not forthcoming from the official records of GAD. The reply was earlier denied, but later given to the information seeker as he had filed an appeal before the PIO's senior officer and the case was listed before the officer in Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.
Details available with Early Times reveal that the concerned PIO who was supposed to remain present before the First Appellate Authority-FAA (Additional Secretary GAD) during first appeal hearing in the Secretariat on Wednesday "deliberately went on leave to save himself from the wrath of FAA." Earlier he had refused to share the information under RTI Act with the information seeker Muzamil Ahmad Shah.
Shah had sought information about a backdoor appointee who is presently holding post of Special Secretary to government. The PIO hadn't provided any reply to him. Aggrieved by his response, the information seeker filed first appeal before GADs Additional Secretary.
The information seeker alleges that the PIO in league with his junior staff and the backdoor appointee KAS officer has misplaced the file. The information seeker is now mulling to file an appeal before State Information Commission (SIC) and State Crime Branch/Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Pertinently, Governor and Chief Secretary have assured to launch an offensive on corrupt officers and their corrupt practices after exposing backdoor appointments in J&K Bank. Recently, backdoor appointees in KVIB were sacked, but on the other hand the GAD has allegedly not only withheld the information pertaining to a backdoor appointee but the said file has been misplaced as there are allegations that officials in GAD have been bribed by the corrupt officer who presently heads a very important organization under J&K Rural Development Department.
The officer is said to have been appointed as a Gazetted Officer (Assistant Director in Hospitality & Protocol Department) through backdoor means way back in 1997-1998 during National Conference government. The officer after some years was inducted into KAS cadre and presently works in the Special Secretary grade.
When the applicant was denied information by the PIO concerned namely Rameshwar Kumar who is Under Secretary in GAD, the information seeker filed first appeal under RTI Act before the Additional Secretary S C Chibber who is the designated FAA.
"The response of PIO dated 29.05.2019 was suddenly put before me during hearing as the same was never sent to me despite having filed RTI around mid of April 2019. It was only after I filed an appeal before FAA (Additional Secretary) the reply was given to me. But I was shocked when it was mentioned in the reply that file has gone missing. I further developed suspicion as the PIO had remained absent during the appeal hearing. The role of Additional Secretary (FAA) was very positive and now I am hopeful he will provide all the facts in writing when he issues first appeal order. I will take up this case with not only with SIC but I will meet Chief Secretary, IGP Crime and Director ACB as well. Even if I will have to go to Supreme court I will expose these corrupt and backdoor appointees," said the information seeker. |
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