Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 24: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation highlighting alleged hushing up of Rajouri Development Authority scam, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Tashi Rabstan today directed the Commissioner Secretary to Government, General Administration Department to file status report within one week indicating the appointment of new inquiry officer for holding departmental inquiry against Mohammad Javed Khan, the then CEO Rajouri Development Authority and other officers involved in the scam.
When this PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioner drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the order dated July 28, 2016 whereby 3 weeks time had been allowed to GAD to file the status report in terms of order dated May 2, 2016 when the then Advocate General D C Raina appearing for the State Government had assured the Division Bench that the new inquiry officer will be appointed and a compliance report in this regard will also be filed before the court.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that the previous Inquiry Officer— R K Varma, the then Director, Tourism Jammu had declined to conduct an enquiry into the matter as according to him Mohammad Javed Khan, the then CEO Rajouri Development Authority was senior to him and further Mohammad Javed Khan has been inducted into Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
He said that no status report has been filed by GAD in terms of order dated May 2, 2016 read with order dated July 28, 2016 indicating the appointment of new Inquiry Officer for holding departmental inquiry against the erring officers/officials of Rajouri Development Authority. He further submitted that GAD is deliberately/intentionally shielding the tainted officers involved in the scam.
On the other hand, Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar appearing for General Administration Department submitted that in view of the prevailing situation in Kashmir the requisite status report could not be filed and she sought only week’s time to comply the directions passed by the Division Bench on May 2, 2016 read with order dated July 28, 2016.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocate Suraj Singh appearing for the petitioner, Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar appearing for GAD and Senior Advocate Sunil Sethi with Advocate Ankesh Chandel appearing for Mohammad Javed Khan, the Division Bench directed the Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar to file the status report on behalf of Commissioner/Secretary General Administration Department within one week indicating the appointment of new inquiry officer.
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