Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 13: In a significant development, State Vigilance Organization (SVO) has registered a case against serving Deputy Commissioner for tampering date of birth in order to get undue benefit of the Government service for four years. Interestingly, the officer, who is already facing departmental enquiry, continues to be the head of the district and this clearly indicates that Government is having soft corner towards ‘tainted’ officers.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that General Administration Department, which is holding departmental enquiry against Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja in date of birth tampering case during the past some months, recently brought the nature of allegations and outcome of the enquiry against the officer till date to the notice of State Vigilance Organization to ascertain whether a criminal case is made out against the officer on the basis of material gathered during the course of departmental enquiry.
After detailed scrutiny of the material gathered by the General Administration Department against Khwaja, a senior Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officer, the Vigilance Organization few days back registered FIR No. 3 of 2013 against him at Police Station Vigilance Organization Kashmir for investigation, sources said, adding “the Deputy Commissioner has been booked for committing the offences like forgery, tampering and fudging the official record”.
In response to a question, sources said, “the departmental enquiry will lead to action against the officer under the Civil Service Conduct Rules while as registration of FIR by the Vigilance Organization will result into criminal trial of the officer”, adding “even after registration of FIR by the Vigilance Organization the departmental enquiry will continue against the Deputy Commissioner in the General Administration Department”.
The departmental enquiry was initiated against the officer on the basis of a complaint mentioning that Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja had tampered his date of birth at the time of his clearing Civil Services Exam in 1984. During the course of internal enquiry, it came to fore that Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja had joined the Government services as Flock Supervisor in the Directorate of Animal and Sheep Husbandry and documents furnished by him at the time of appointment mention his date of birth as March 2, 1952.
However, in the General Administration Department records his date of birth is March 2, 1956, which clearly established that Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja, who also remained Special Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department and District Development Commissioner Rajouri prior to his present posting, had tampered his date of birth to obtain undue benefit of Government service for four years, sources informed.
“As per the date of birth mentioned in the record of Directorate of Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja would have superannuated more than two years back”, sources said.
When the officer came to know about internal enquiry against him, he applied for the voluntary retirement but finding no further progress into the enquiry, the officer later withdrew his voluntary retirement papers, sources said, adding as the GAD gathered strong evidence which prima-facie established commission of offence on the part of officer, file was placed before the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in the month of November 2012 for further necessary action in the case.
Accordingly, Omar Abdullah gave approval for departmental enquiry against Ghulam Ahmed Khwaja, who is holding the post of Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla with effect from May 16, 2012.
In response to a question, sources said, “following the Chief Minister’s approval a charge sheet under Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Rules was served to the erring officer and some days back he furnished his reply”, adding “the General Administration Department has found the reply of the officer unsustainable and will shortly appoint an enquiry officer”.
Interestingly, the officer continues to be the Deputy Commissioner despite registration of FIR against him by the Vigilance Organization. “This indicates that Government has soft corner towards the tainted officers”, sources said.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Division Bench of State High Court has already taken serious note of continuation of an IAS officer as Deputy Commissioner Srinagar despite registration of case against him by the Vigilance Organization in the Gulmarg land scam. The State Government has even approached the Department of Personal and Training, Government of India seeking sanction to prosecute the IAS officer in the scam. The challan in the scam has already been produced before the Court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption, Srinagar.
Few days back, the Division Bench granted time till next Tuesday to the State to take decision on the continuation of this IAS officer as Deputy Commissioner Srinagar.
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