Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Ali Mohd Magrey and Justice B S Walia today issued notices to Chief Secretary and Commissioner/ Secretary, General Administration Department in a plea seeking transfer/ removal of IAS officer Hirdesh Kumar Singh from the post of Commissioner/ Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department in view of his involvement in infamous Roshni land scam.
The State Vigilance Organization, after establishing the prima-facie cases against Hirdesh Kumar Singh, has already sought sanction for his prosecution along with other in-service public servants.
The DB, while issuing notices to the Chief Secretary and Secretary GAD in the open court, has sought response within two weeks to the Miscellaneous Petition seeking transfer of Hirdesh Kumar from the present post. The notices were accepted by Additional Advocate General, Ajay Sharma on behalf of Chief Secretary and Secretary, General Administration Department.
Earlier, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed along with Advocates Irfaan Mohd Khan and Rahul Raina appearing for the petitioners, submitted that after completion of investigation the State Vigilance Organization vide its Communication No.SVO-FIR-06/2014-J-20657-58 dated 31-12-2015 had approached the General Administration Department for accord of prosecution sanction of in-service public servants including Hirdesh Kumar Singh as envisaged under Section 6 of the J&K Prevention of Corruption Act.
“However, the sanction is awaited since December 31, 2015”, Advocate Ahmed said, adding “Hirdesh Kumar Singh has also been booked by SVO in case FIR No.15/2014 P/S VOJ on May 29, 2014 along with other officers/officials of Revenue Department with beneficiary Bashir Ahmed on the allegations of having committed bungling in the implementation of J&K State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001”.
The DB also issued notices to Chief Secretary, Secretary GAD and Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department in Miscellaneous Petition seeking directions for production before the court the inquiry report pursuant to Government Order No.178-HUD of 2015 dated July 14, 2015 whereby 15 days time had been earmarked for submission of the inquiry report into the creation of Rs 27.60 crore liability in J&K Housing Board during the tenure of the then Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture Raman Bhalla.
The notices were accepted by AAG Ajay Sharma and two weeks time was allowed to file response to this Miscellaneous Petition.
The Division Bench also took cognizance of another Miscellaneous Petition and after hearing Advocate S S Ahmed, issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Secretary GAD and Secretary Law for filing response within two weeks to the petition seeking initiation of process for appointment of Chief Information Commissioner and Information Commissioner.
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