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| SVO, Chief Secretary owe some explanation | | SHC's displeasure over Baseer Khan | | Bashir Assad
jammu, Feb 2: The State Vigilance Organisation, the Chief Secretary and above all the Omar Government owe quite some explanation over induction of Baseer Ahmad Khan, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar into the IAS and his appointment to the crucial post he is holding at present after State High Court expressed its displeasure over the same.
Omar Abdullah Government is yet to respond to the High Court remarks that the Deputy Commissioners of the twin capital cities should have clean and unblemished service records. The remarks were made by the Court while hearing a CMA wherein serious allegations were made against Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Baseer Ahmad Khan. Though the Government has written to the Union Ministry for Personal and Training seeking sanction for prosecuting Baseer Khan in his capacity of being an IAS officer.
The very fact that Khan was a State cadre officer (KAS) at that point of time when the infamous Gulmarg land scam was unearthed implies that the State Government did not act promptly when Khan was serving in KAS cadre.
The story does not end here, Khan's induction into IAS looks shabby and puts a big question mark on the credibility of the State Vigilance Organization which gives clearance to the officials supposed to be elevated to next higher cadre. The State Vigilance Organization gives certificate to Khan despite the fact that a prime-facie case of corruption and abuse of official position as DC Baramulla was established by the same organization in Gulmarg land scam.
Now there are two fundamental questions which need to be answered. First why did not the Government acted quickly in the case and sanction his prosecution while he was in the State cadre?. If that would have been the case, things would certainly have been different. The State could not have taken alibi that the officer could not be proceeded against with the sanction as at that point of time he was not in IAS. It is quite intriguing that the then Chief Secretary, SS Kapur with Basharat Ahmad Dar as Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department issued integrity certificate to the Union Public Service Commission in favor of the said officer during the pendency of the case because it was in no way a unique case to be given integrity certificate by the Chief Secretary. Normally in such cases the Integrity certificate is always withheld as the case was still under the scrutiny of the Vigilance Organization or in the alterative the matter is kept in a sealed cover till the official gets a clean chit.
Isn't it a fact that promotion cases of those officers who do not have the political patronage do not find any place while as the well connected officers get the clearance from vigilance very quickly.
The method is quite selective and discriminatory and those who can pull the strings with the top bureaucrats and politicians carry the day notwithstanding the fact whether they get vigilance clearance or not. In the instant case it is widely perceived that the officer enjoys patronage of some Congress leaders particularly the one who is always in news for all bad reasons as he is allegedly involved in a number of scams. How is it that while forwarding the case for sanction for prosecution to the Union Government though belatedly, the accused officer is still continuing and the Government had to wait for court remarks.
Are there no officers in Jammu and Kashmir who can handle such pivotal positions? Is there no substitute to Khan who is 4th timer DC and has been DC of four important districts viz, Anantnag, Baramulla, Udhampur and Srinagar even after a prime-facie case was established against him by SVO.
As for the settled legal position and past practices the observations of the courts have always been taken seriously as a command by the Government but it is yet to be seen in the present case whether the State gives credence to the observations made by the division bench while hearing a PIL. But in any case the Government has to explain sooner or latter as what was the contribution of the said IAS officer in development of districts which he has manned 4 times? |
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