| CB, ACB succeed in unearthing many scandals | | Action against backdoor appointments, illegal promotions still out of reach | | AVINASH AZAD
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 12: Crime Branch (CB) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) have detected many scandals, and some senior officers were put behind the bars for tempering their date of birth and amassing disproportionate assets (DAs) in the recent past.
But several backdoor appointees in various departments particularly those who were appointed in 90s in Panchayati Raj and Rural Development (PR&DR) Department and J&K Housing and Urban Development Department (JKHUDD) are out of reach for these agencies, even despite change of system in J&K.
The Crime Branch in September 2018 in a major success, arrested the then Commissioner/Secretary to Government ARI and Trainings, M D Khan for “fudging” birth records. M D Khan was also initially engaged as Village Level Worker (VLW) and reached the post of Commissioner Secretary, under the patronage of corrupt politicians. The entire scandal was exposed by this scribe under Early Times' crusade against corruption. Few days back the CB booked a Special Secretary ranked officer posted in the Home department. The CB and ACB have been regularly detecting many major scandals, which give sleepless nights to the corrupt people.
Early Times in past have carried detailed stories regarding backdoor appointments and illegal promotions in Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Department, till date all the backdoor appointees are sitting on the same posts and no action have been taken against them by the J&K Government, even after change in governance in August 2019.
Surprisingly, majority of backdoor appointments and promotions are from Chenab Valley region of Jammu division. The Raj Bhawan taking cognizance of ET report on 28th of January 2020 had sought report into misappropriation of funds by the then XEn REW Samba. “This has reference to the news item “Former Xen REW Samba siphoned of (off) MGNREGA funds” appearing in the ‘Early Times’ in its edition dated 20/01/2020. In this context, I am desired to request you to furnish a report in the matter, to this Secretariat, early”, Communication no. LGS-50(NI) 2020/1149 dated 28/01/2020 issued by Jagdish Singh, Director Public Relations, in Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat read. Unfortunately, the case could not reach to its logical conclusion, despite being a clear case of embezzlement, with documentary evidence.
In another case Abdul Qayoom Chalkoo a daily rated worker, through back door promotions elevated as Executive Engineer in Rural Engineer Wing (REW) in Rural Development Department, Kashmir.
The official, however, was reverted back to his original position vide government order no 63-RD of 2020, but due half-heartedly approach of the department, gave enough time to the official to get relief from the court. Paradoxically, the department gave up its option of contesting the case in court of the court of law.
“On the basis of media report published in March 2017, regarding ‘illegal promotion in Rural Development Department’ of work supervisor as XEn and Complaint received against such official from state vigilance organization (SVO), J&K vide no VO-RD-G37/17 dated 10/03/2017, government order an enquiry into the allegations”, sources said, adding that the inquiry conducted by Abdul Hamid Kumar, the then Financial Advisor corroborated the misdeed and undue benefit showered on the official.
In another case, a temporary engaged person from Doda in PR&RD department reached the post of Executive Engineer and might get the next promotion soon. This backdoor employee is presently working in Kashmir province. However, there are dozens of backdoor appointment and promotion cases in RD&PR Department, which never caught the media's attention.
Similarly, there are also many undetected cases of backdoor appointment and promotion, wherein people reached to the post of XEn, AEEs and AEs and JEs. The government agencies CB and ACB should randomly check service books of all employees of RD&PR and JKHUDD departments, to crack a whip on backdoor appointees and fix the blunders committed by the popular governments of the past. |
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