Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 2: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice B S Walia today granted three weeks time to the General Administration Department (GAD) to file a fresh status report indicating the appointment of the new Inquiry Officer.
In the status report filed by the Tourism Department, it has been disclosed that the previous Inquiry Officer i.e. Director Tourism Jammu appointed to hold disciplinary proceedings against Mohammad Javed Khan, the then Chief Executive Officer Rajouri Development Authority, Khushal Chand, the then Executive Engineer, Devi Dass Heer, Executive Engineer and Gurcharan Singh, Junior Engineer, Rajouri Development Authority has expressed his inability to hold enquiry into the matter as Mohammad Javed Khan was senior to him as KAS Officer, who now stands inducted into IAS.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Rahul Raina and Suraj Singh drew the attention of the Division Bench towards the latest status report filed by the Tourism Department wherein it has been mentioned that GAD was requested to take further steps for appointing a new Inquiry Officer in view of the induction of Mohammad Javed Khan into Indian Administrative Services.
Advocate Ahmed submitted that in view of the stand taken by the Tourism Department the appropriate directions are required to be issued to GAD to appoint the new inquiry officer so that the disciplinary proceedings are initiated in the matter against the delinquent public servants.
Advocate General D C Raina appearing for the State Government submitted that in view of the Darbar move some time may be allowed to the GAD for passing the appropriate orders. He assured the Division Bench that the needful will be done within three weeks.
Upon this, Division Bench granted three weeks time to the Advocate General to file the updated status report of the General Administration Department indicating the appointment of the new enquiry officer for holding disciplinary proceedings against Mohammad Javed Khan and others.