Enquiry Officer indicts ex-Director, recovery of financial loss from gratuity/pension likely

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 1: In the much publicized case of illegal promotions, engagements and appointments in the Economics and Statistics Organization, the Enquiry Officer has established all the charges against former Director S A Qureshi and suggested to the Government recovery of salary/wages paid to such appointees from the gratuity/pension of the accused officer.
The charges against the former Director S A Qureshi were that at the fag-end of his service he promoted 77 Junior Statistical Assistants as Incharge Statistical Assistants, engaged 14 casual labourers and appointed two persons as Class-IV employees by abusing his official position. After the EXCELSIOR exposed the wrong doings of the officer, the Government got preliminary enquiry conducted through the then Secretary, Planning and Development Department, G R Bhagat.
While taking further necessary action as per the recommendations of the then Secretary, Planning and Development Department, the Government Vide Order No. 22-PD of 2012 appointed Commissioner Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department Atal Dulloo as Enquiry Officer to enquire into the charges against S A Qureshi. Additional Secretary, General Administration Department, Simrandeep Singh was appointed as the Presenting Officer.
Now, the Enquiry Officer has completed the task assigned by the Government and furnished detailed report to the Government.
According to the findings of the Enquiry Officer, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, the charge regarding promotion of Junior Statistical Assistants as Incharge Statistical Assistants has been proved beyond any doubt against S A Qureshi due to the fact that SRO 3 of 2005 lays down the procedure for promotion of Junior Statistical Assistants as Statistical Assistants and provides passing of departmental training and examination after having completed three years of service.
“The promotions were affected of the persons, who were still on probation. Thus, it clearly indicates that S A Qureshi has violated the rules governing the appointment/promotion of Junior Statistical Assistants as Statistical Assistants”, the report said, adding “a pubic servant is expected to adhere to the rules and regulations but in the instant case despite the fact that the issue was pending before the Administrative Department seeking relaxation of rules in making stop gap arrangement of Junior Statistical Assistants as Incharge Statistical Assistants, S A Qureshi without waiting for the decision from the Government issued the promotion orders in favour of 77 JSAs though in their own pay and grade”.
“Since the promotions effected by S A Qureshi have been revoked by the Administrative Department, no financial loss has been caused to the State exchequer. However, it has not been proved that while misusing his official position whether any pecuniary or material advantage has been taken by the officer from such promotions”, report said.
Stating that charge of engaging 14 casual labourers in sheer misuse of official position has also been established against former Director Economic and Statistics, the report said, “being watchdog of the Economics and Statistics Organization the officer was not expected to make such violations and engage casual labourers without any authority and authorization”, adding “no doubt all the engages have been dis-engaged, it is a fact that the salaries/wages drawn by these persons in absence of authorization/competence of the ex-Director is clear loss to the State exchequer which needs to be looked into”.
“The Planning and Development Department may work out the wages, which were received by these illegal engages and may consider the recovery of these wages from S A Qureshi”, the report further said, adding “the plea taken by the officer that his predecessors have also engaged casual labourers in the same manner cannot be relied upon because any wrong action cannot be legalized by subsequent wrong action, as such, the submissions/ pleadings made by S A Qureshi don’t merit any consideration and it is clear violation of Government orders and burden upon the State exchequer”.
The report said, “the third charge regarding appointment of two Class IV employees by the officer is also proved beyond any doubt as the appointments were made despite the fact that the advertisement of the posts were already made by the department. This is also misuse of power and violation of Government Order No.735-GAD of 2008 read with Government Order No.731-GAD of 2010 whereby District and Divisional Level Committees have been constituted by the Government for recruitment to the Class IV posts”.
In case illegally appointees have obtained salary/wages, the Planning and Development Department may consider the recovery of the same from the officer, the Enquiry Officer said.
Meanwhile, sources said that some officials of the Economics and Statistics in a communication to the Government have alleged that Directorate of Economics and Statistics has been made ‘den of corruption’ by some officials and employees, who are working since more than two decades in sheer violation of the Transfer Policy of the Government.
While mentioning the names and designations of such officials and their stay in the Directorate, the communication said, “such officials are looting the Directorate and dictating terms to the poor staff to watch their interests. We hope that Government would ensure effective implementation of Transfer Policy in the Economics and Statistics Directorate to prevent further loot”.

Follow our WhatsApp channel