Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 3: Vigilance Organization Kashmir (VOK) has registered case against Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University, Professor Khursheed Iqbal Andrabi, and several other officers for appointing an ineligible candidate as Medical Officer in the Varsity.
The Vigilance Organization Kashmir today registered a case (FIR No. 04/2018 P/S VOK) and has taken up investigation. “The commission of this act by the Vice Chancellor and other officers and officials of the Kashmir University/Screening officer Via-a-vis beneficiary disclose offences under Section 5(1) (d) PC Act Samvat 2006 read with Section 120-B of RPC punishable U/S 5(2) of the Act”, read a statement issued by VOK.
The Vice Chancellor, and other officers and official of Kashmir University in connivance with Screening Officer, the Medical Superintendent of SMHS Hospital Srinagar, which has been nominated by Vice Chancellor as Screening Officer, had selected and appointed an ineligible candidate Dr Suraya Jan to the post of Medical Officer illegally and fraudulently by abuse of their official position as public servants in response to advertisement published by authorities of Kashmir University dated 11-12-2014. “The candidate on other hand was not qualifying as per terms and conditions laid down in the advertisement notice”, read the statement.
The Vice Chancellor appointed two Medical Officers in the Kashmir University Health Centre when there was no such sanctioned post.
Earlier, the University Council, on the directions of the Governor NN Vohra, had asked (No F (Abeyance-MO) GA/KU/17 dated Nov 7, 2017) the Varsity authorities to keep Dr Suraya’s and Dr Iqra’s appointments in abeyance.
“Pursuant to the observations made by the University Council on Item No 27 at its meeting held on 24.10.2017, and as recommended by the committee constituted for the purpose, the appointment orders dated 08-07-2015 and 16-05-2017 issued in favour of Dr Suraya Jan and Dr Iqra Mehraj as Medical Officers are kept in abeyance with immediate effect,” the order read.
In January 2015, immediately after Professor Andrabi took over as the VC, various posts, including that of two Medical Officers, were advertised (vide Advertisement Notice No. IX).
The minimum qualification for the Medical Officer posts, according to the notice, was MBBS with five years work experience in a reputed Government recognized Hospital. The upper age limit for the post, like any other Government job, was maximum of 40 years. However, in violation of all norms and rules, the KU appointed Dr Suraya Jan as Medical Officer, despite having crossed the upper age limit. According to the records submitted by Dr Suraya to the University authorities, her date of birth is 6-11-1969.
The appointment of Dr Suraya was challenged by another candidate Dr Iqra Mehraj in the Court of law in 2015. As the case was going on, the KU made an out of Court settlement with the aggrieved candidate, by offering her another post of medical officer in the KU.
Sources said that in 2017, the KU converted a Placement Officer post in one of the departments into a Medical Officer’s post to adjust Dr Iqra, daughter of Central University Kashmir’s VC, Prof Mehraj-ud-Din Mir. Dr Iqra was appointed on temporary basis as Medical Officer in the pay-band of Rs 9300-34800 and the post was not advertised.
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