Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 31: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation alleging hushing up of Rajouri Development Authority scam, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar and Justice Sanjeev Kumar has sought updated status of the enquiry initiated against the then CEO Rajouri Development Authority and presently Excise Commissioner.
The DB has also directed Commissioner Secretary GAD to file response to an application seeking directions for transfer of Excise Commissioner J&K to any other equivalent post till the conclusion of the Regular Departmental Enquiry initiated against him vide Govt Order No.1661-GAD of 2017 dated December 27, 2017.
Division Bench after hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocate Supriya Chouhan appearing for the PIL whereas Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar appearing for State Government also issued directions to the Commissioner/Secretary GAD to file the updated status of the departmental enquiry initiated against the then CEO Rajouri Development Authority.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed along with Advocate Supriya Chouhan submitted that it was on December 11, 2017 when the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Badar Durez Ahmed (since retired) had issued notices to the Chief Secretary, GAD Secretary and Mohammad Javed Khan (IAS) for filing reply to Miscellaneous Petition seeking shifting of incumbent Excise Commissioner to any other equivalent/ non-sensitive post in view of his facing serious allegations of corruption/abuse of official position.
He further submitted that despite the expiry of three months no response has been filed by the State Government. At this stage, Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar appeared for GAD and sought time to file response to this Miscellaneous Application.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that Sanjeev Verma, Commissioner/Secretary Public Works Department has been appointed as Inquiry Officer to conduct inquiry against Mohammad Javed Khan and further Gulzar Ahmed Dar (KAS) Additional Secretary to the Govt Tourism Department has been appointed as Presenting Officer for presenting Articles of Charge/case on behalf of disciplinary authority upon the then Chief Executive Officer Rajouri Development Authority.
He sought appropriate directions to the Inquiry Officer and GAD Secretary to file an affidavit indicating the latest status of the inquiry.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed, Division Bench directed Senior AAG Seema Shekhar to file the updated status of the enquiry and also response to the Miscellaneous Petition seeking shifting of incumbent Excise Commissioner to some other post by or before April 19.
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