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| DB directs CS, Secy GAD to file response | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 30(JNF): The much publicized Public Interest Litigation seeking prosecution of tainted IAS/IPS/IFS/KAS officers involved in corruption case, today took a new turn when the Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Hasnain Massodi and Justice Tashi Rabstan enlarged the scope of the PIL and took cognizance of a fresh application filed by petitioners Sheikh Mohd Shafi and Prof SK Bhalla seeking appropriate directions to the state Chief Secretary and commissioner/Secretary General Administration Department to produce before the court the entire records with regard to the recommendations of the High Level Committee constituted way back in May 2011 under the chairmanship of then Chief Secretary Madhav Lal.
Division Bench after hearing Adv Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the PIL issued notice to Chief Secretary and commissioner/Secretary General Administration Department in the first instance and Senior Additional Advocate General Gagan Basotra accepted notices on behalf of both the respondents. Division Bench observed that the petitioners insist that High Level Committee headed by Chief Secretary of the State to take action against corrupt officers/officials has not made its recommendations public.
DB further observed that Sr. AAG Basotra to come up with a stand in the light of averments made in the application by next date of hearing with copy to Advocate SS Ahmed.
State High Court further directed the registry to list this matter in the week commencing December 9, 2013 and Court further directed Senior AAG to also apprise the court about the status of FIR NO 18/2005 VOJ (infamous Rural Electrification Scam).
In the application it is submitted that the issue raised in the present application is of wide public importance as the cancer of corruption has spread alarmingly in the state Govt and there is accountability deficit and it is only because of the indulgence shown by the State High Court in the present PIL, the state Govt was compelled to grant sanction against high-ups in the corruption cases and similarly the state Govt cannot be allowed to remain a mute spectator to the recommendations of the committee set-up way back in May 2011 for identifying dead-wood.
Today when the PIL was taken-up for consideration, the Division Bench considered the fresh status reports filed by ASGI KK Pangotra for Union of India and Sr. AAG Gagan Basotra for State Govt.
In the status report filed by ASGI KK Pangotra it was clarified that with regard to two IFS officers namely Farooq Ahmed Geelani then Chief Executive Officer IWDP Hills Rambiara, the sanction was accorded but the same was kept in abeyance because of the interim directions issued from Srinagar Bench of the state High Court in a petition filed by the said officer. With regard to Abdul Gani Hajam the status report submits that the sanction was accorded and the challan stands presented by SVO in the court of law. With regard to third officer Aijaz Ahmed Bhat then MD J&K SFC, the status reports stated that he is not an IFS officer and belongs to State Forest Service and it is for the state Govt to take any action against him.
In this status report filed by Senior AAG Gagan Basotra it was submitted that supplementary challan has been filed against Baseer Khan (IAS) in much publicized Gulmarg Land Scam (FIR NO 08/2009 VOK) in the Court of Special Judge Anticorruption Kashmir on September 23, 2013. The status report further says that with regard to stay operating in case FIR NO 18/2005 VOK Rural Electrification Scam, the matter has been taken-up with the concerned Senior Additional Advocate General with a request to him to file CMA before the Srinagar Wing for vacation of the stay order.
After considering both the status reports in the open Court the Division Bench asked Sr. AAG Gagan Basotra to file status as regards grant of sanction for prosecution of Ajaz Ahmed Bhat then MD SFC by next date of hearing with copy to Advocate SS Ahmed. |
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