Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 24: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today expressed serious concern over Crime Branch not acting upon its directions in multi-crore Elementary Teachers Training (ETT) Colleges scam and directed personal appearance of SSPs of Crime Branch.
The court observed that the authorities breached the court directions and directed Senior Superintendent of Police in Crime Branch Kashmir and Jammu to remain present in the court on next date of hearing.
Court after going through the report of Inspector General of Police, Crime Branch said it is not satisfactory as it indicates the investigation in irregularities of the ETT colleges is proceeding at snails pace. “It needs to be reminded to the authorities that effective criminal justice system guarantees peace and order in the society” adding “when a crime is committed and is detected by the concerned agencies and thereafter action taken in accordance with law, then alone, the commission of crime can be minimized in the society”, said the Division Bench of Justice MH Attar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey.
Court on last date of hearing had directed for constitution of committee to harmonize the act and rules and submit the necessary recommendation for amendments fortnightly with the registry of the court.
Court said the compliance report shows that the committee has been constituted and it met on September 18 but no substantial decision was taken by the committee on that date.
Commissioner Secretary of School Education Department in his previous status report had stated that meeting was held on August 8 and in the meeting various issues were deliberated upon including amendment in rules, registration procedure, post registering monitoring mechanism, periodical inspections, ensuring proper functioning of the institutions, fee mechanism adopted by the ETT institutes, who have committed irregularities and illegalities.
“As no fortnightly report is submitted to the Registry, the Committee has acted in breach of the directions of the court as also order the Government , which had directed it to file its recommendations within two weeks”, court said.
Court granted more time to respondents and asked them to deal with the problem effectively. “At the request of Advocate General we refrain from making any observation about Chairman of the Committee and its members. We grant further time to deal with the problem, which is posed to the committee and for which they have to find out solution”, said the court and directed the committee to comply with the court directions and submit its report fortnightly with the registry of the court.
Court directed the investigating agency (Crime Branch) to submit its periodical reports to the SSP Crime of both Kashmir and Jammu Divisions, who thereafter formulate a consolidated report and submit it to the IGP, Crime, and he (IGP) will then file the status report of the investigation before the court.
Court said the committees are constituted only on paper. “These are to be enthused with life by making them functional and by making recommendations in the manner it is directed to do by the Government or by the court”, it said.
The candidates are lured and huge amount, ranging from Rs.45, 000 to Rs. 80, 000 is received from each student, by the authorities of the ETT colleges across the State and both wings of Crime Branch at Jammu and Srinagar are probing the scandal in which almost all concerned people are involved in the loot including top brass of the Board of School Education.
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