Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 26: In the much publicized Rs 27.60 crore scam in J&K Housing Board, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice B S Walia today directed Senior Additional Advocate General S S Nanda to file Action Taken Report (ATR) within two weeks.
The Division Bench further directed Senior AAG Seema Khajooria Shekhar to report compliance of order of June 29, 2016 whereby General Administration Department (GAD) had been directed to submit the chart of progress of 147 departmental enquiries in a sealed cover.
These directions were passed today in the open court in the much publicized Public Interest Litigation (PIL) titled Sheikh Mohd Shafi V/s Union of India seeking prosecution of tainted bureaucrats under J&K Prevention of Corruption Act.
When the PIL came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocate Irtiza Mushtaq appearing for the petitioner submitted that the Commissioner/Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department has already filed the status report pursuant to the court order of May 26, 2016 and in the status report it has been divulged that vide Govt. Order No.178-HUD of 2015 and of July 14, 2015 a committee was constituted to look into the creation of Rs 27.60 crore liability in J&K Housing Board.
“Enquiry report establishes large scale irregularities and abuse of official position by the officers of the J&K Housing Board including the then Incharge Managing Director Ram Pal Sharma. However, the indicted officers are still occupying prime positions and no action till date has been taken against them”, he added.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed, the Division Bench directed Senior Additional Advocate General S S Nanda to file Action Taken Report (ATR) regarding the creation of Rs 27.60 crore liability in J&K Housing Board within two weeks.
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