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| Retired rehabilitated IAS officer breaches cooperative act with impunity, govt silent | | Marino sheep scam accused enjoys top post | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Jammu, Feb 29: Indicted by State Accountability Commission (SAC) for wasteful expenditure and alleged fraud, ex-Commissioner/Secretary Animal and Sheep Husbandry Dr. Mohammed Deen has been rehabilitated suitably by National Conference-Congress coalition government.
He is presently Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL) and member of State Audit Advisory Board (SAAB). Deen was penalised by Accountability Commission (SAC) over a complaint that he had caused wasteful expenditure while proceeding on tour to Australia for purchasing 60 Marino sheep for breeding purposes and thereafter, managed to obtain a certificate from a private firm in Australia that the Marino sheep are disease free and fit for export.
Specific allegation was that Deen alongwith another officer, now retired wilfully preferred not to obtain a health certificate that Marino sheep in Australia are disease free and went on tour to Australia causing a loss of Rs. 5 lakh to the state exchequer with no return benefits. Both officers returned back without purchasing the sheep.
Ironically, Deen had not only lied to the Jammu and Kashmir government but also to the Union Ministry for Agriculture. On being asked by Union Agricultural Ministry whether Animal Husbandry department of Jammu and Kashmir government had obtained any certification from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services (AQIS) that Australian Sheep was disease freeing all respects, Dr. Mohammed Deen had said that state government obtained such letter from AQIS.
However, Union Ministry later found out that no such certification had been obtained by Jammu and Kashmir government before leaving India. SAC had in its order dated 20-12-2007 recommended the state government to recover the money spent by the two officers during their trip to Australia either from their pensionary benefits or from their personnel properties, whichever is applicable.
It had further recommended that the officers also deserve to be punished in terms of Rule 168 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Regulations-1956. SAC had asked government to forfeit pension of accused officer. Deen approached High Court and got operation of stringent SAC recommendation stayed. Sources said that government helped his cause by asking law department to go slow.
Aided by the court order, sources said that Deen used his political influence and got himself appointed as Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL) for a period of one year through govt. order no. 20-Coop of 2007 dated 30-08-2007. However, it is now Deen's sixth year as Chairman of Milk Producers Cooperative Limited (MPCL).
According to the act, Deen had to mandatorily hold elections within one year but he preferred otherwise. Elections would have meant Deen's exit and charge of JKMPCL would have gone to the Board of Directors (BOD). Sources said that cooperative ministry has preferred not to even write an informal letter to Deen directing him to hold elections and lave the cooperative for all times to come.
Even the taint had not bothered the cooperative ministry. When asked, the ministry refers high court stay but fails to explain why an official who is facing grave charges has been rehabilitated. What to talk of cooperative ministry, Accountant General of Jammu and Kashmir has included Deen in the audit board.
Officers do not mince words in saying that Deen has influential political bosses who have kept him in service. "It is the government which has to explain continuation of Deen as Chairman of JKMPCL. He should have been removed after three years but nothing such has happened," said an official seeking anonymity. |
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