Policemen may have helped attack on Sagar’s escort

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 20: The premier intelligence agency of the country, Intelligence Bureau (IB), is assisting the Jammu and Kashmir Police in conducting investigation into the Police-militant nexus in the State that was exposed last week and their involvement in attack on the escort of Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar last year can’t be ruled out.
Highly placed sources told Excelsior that the four policemen, who have been arrested for militant links, were under scanner for past few months. There were allegations of extortion against these four police men for past few years but they were being shielded because of their role in under cover operations.
Sources said that investigators are questioning the four arrested police men regarding the attacks in Srinagar that took place over the last two years and where police and other security agencies have failed to establish their link to any of the militant organizations. These include the assassination attempt on Sagar.
Sagar’s escort was attacked by unidentified gunmen last December outside his ancestral home at sensitive down town. Despite being a high profile attack police and other security agencies failed to trace out the attackers and establish their link with any militant organization.
The other attacks that are being investigated are the attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel at Rainawari in which 7 CRPF men were injured, grenade attack near Fire and Emergency Service headquarter in which a Assistant Executive Engineer was killed, killing of a National Conference (NC) worker in Batamaloo last year and killing of a police officer Yechpal Singh at Daresh Kadal early this year.
The Investigation into the case is being conducted by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Iftikhar Talib and he is directly reporting to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Srinagar Ashiq Bukhari and Superintendent of Police (SP) Counter Insurgency Kashmir (CIK) Sheikh Junaid.
The information about the police-militant nexus is being shared with the IB on daily basis while premier agency is also sharing their details with the police. The sources said that Union Home Ministry is closely monitoring the investigations into the case as they want to make it sure that no one is spared.
Police-militant nexus surfaced last week during the investigations of the attack on a former militant of Hizbul Mujahideen, Ghulam Hassan Mir alias Shabnam. Shabnam resident of Tral area of South Kashmir was an HM commander who was arrested in 2006 and released in 2007. Shabnam had shifted to Sadarbal area of Srinagar where he had established his business. He was shot at by unidentified gunmen on June 7. During the investigations of attack on him it surfaced that he was not shot at by militants but by the police men who were working for Hizbul Mujahideen.
Police arrested Mohammed Abbas, Riaz Ahmed, Mohammad Ilyas and Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh and booked them under Section 10 (being member of an unlawful organisation), Section 13 (any form of assistance in unlawful activity) and Section 18 (conspiracy to commit terrorist act) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Shergarhi Police Station.
Police later arrested five civilians who had helped in the bid on the life of Shabnam. They have been identified as Shahbaz Ahmad of Rishipora Tral, Bilal Ahmad of Rishipora, Tral, Mohammad Amin alias Amin Battery of Haina Tral, Tauseef Ahmad of Haina, Tral and Riyaz Ahmad of Rishipora.

Appointment of Khoda as first CVC

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 20: In a major setback to the Government on the appointments of first ever Chief Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) and two Vigilance Commissioners (VCs), Governor N N Vohra has returned the file sent by the Government for appointment of former Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda as the CVC and Mohammad Sayeed Khan and RK Jerath, two retired IAS officers as VCs.
Authoritative sources told the Excelsior that the Raj Bhawan had returned the file on June 15 with a pose of questions pertaining to the appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC.
In the four members panel for appointment of the CVC and VCs, Leader of Opposition and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had strongly objected to appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC. However, there had been no objections by her to the appointment of Mr Khan and Mr Jerath as the VCs.
Sources said the Governor has sought a number of clarifications from the State Government pertaining to the appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC. Mr Khoda had retired as the DGP of the State on May 31 while a meeting to choose first ever CVC and two VCs of the State was held on May 28, just three days before his retirement after nearly five years posting as the State police chief.
According to sources, the major clarifications sought by the Governor on the appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC included his role in Bhaderwah triple murder case of 1998 during his tenure as DIG Udhampur-Doda range. Though the State High Court had given relief to Mr Khoda on June 5 just a couple of days after his appointment to the coveted post was recommended by the four members committee by dismissing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
A Crime Branch inquiry had raised several questions over the triple murder.
Sources said the Raj Bhawan has also reportedly sought the status of some more points raised by Mehbooba Mufti on the appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC.
The Raj Bhawan has sent a detailed questionnaire-cum-clarification note to the Government on June 15 over the appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC.
Sources confirmed that the Chief Minister’s Secretariat has received the questionnaire and was consulting legal and other experts to take a decision on the note sent by the Governor House.
A four member high-powered committee had taken up the issues of appointments of the CVC and VCs on May 28. Leader of Opposition Mehbooba Mufti had left the meeting strongly opposing the name of Mr Khoda as the CVC. She had proposed the name of former Vigilance Commissioner and retired IPS officer Dr Ashok Bhan if the Government wanted to appoint a state subject as the CVC and Samuel Verghese, an IAS officer of J&K cadre, who had retired as Home Secretary of the State, if the Government wanted a non state subject for the post.
However, three other members in the panel—Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar had gone by the panel of Mr Khoda as CVC and Mohammad Sayeed Khan, who had retired as Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD) and R K Jerath, who had retired as Financial Commissioner (Revenue) as VCs.
The Government had on June 4 sent the proposal for appointment of Mr Khoda as the CVC and Mr Khan and Mr Jerath as VCs to the Raj Bhawan along with the dissent note of Mehbooba Mufti, who had opposed the appointment of Mr Khoda on various grounds including Bhaderwah triple murder case, cover up on the killing of Haji Mohammad Yusuf, a National Conference worker, who had died in Crime Branch custody after coming out of the Chief Minister’s residence, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) scam in which JKCA president and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah was allegedly involved and killing of 200 youth from 2008 to 2010 during the tenure of Mr Khoda.
Sources said the Chief Minister’s Secretariat was going into details of the questionnaire-cum-clarifications sought by the Raj Bhawan on the appointment of first ever CVC and would take a decision on them very soon.
The Government would shortly take a decision on whether to reply to the queries raised by the Governor on the appointment of Mr Khoda as the first ever CVC or keep the file pending and go for fresh panel of the CVC.
“The chances were that the Government could file a reply to the questionnaire as the panel for appointment of the CVC and two VCs has been cleared by the high powered committee including the Chief Minister himself’’, sources said, adding the Government didn’t want PDP president Mehbooba Mufti to score a point.
The Governor had in 2009 returned the file pertaining to the appointments of Justice YP Nargotra and Justice Bashir Ahmad Kirmani as members of the State Accountability Commission (SAC) on the ground that the names hadn’t been sent with a consensus as Leader of Opposition, Mehbooba Mufti was not present in the meeting.
In 2011, the Raj Bhawan had returned another proposal of the Government for issuing an ordinance on the Public Safety Act (PSA), which carried two separate provisions for detention of state subjects and non-state subjects. Later, the Government had taken the Legislature route for the amendments in the PSA.
Sources said the proposal pertaining to appointment of first ever CVC and VCs, which had reached Raj Bhawan on June 4, was studied by the Governor himself for a couple of days especially the dissent note moved along with it by Mehbooba Mufti. After a detailed questionnaire, the Raj Bhawan returned the file to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.
The appointment of first CVC and VCs of the State had been hanging fire for past about one and a half year ever since the State Legislature had passed the bill for setting up the institution of the Chief Vigilance Commission in Jammu and Kashmir. On a couple of occasions, the meetings called for constitution of the panel had to be deferred on different pretexts.
In her dissent note, Mehbooba had written: “The appointment of CVC is extremely crucial in the fight against corruption, the exercise, therefore, should be more than mere filling up of vacancies as post retirement rehabilitation.”
She had raised the issues of Khoda’s alleged involvement in triple murder, cover up of National Conference leader Syed Yusuf’s death in alleged police custody, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association scam and killing of 200 youth between 2008 to 2010 during his tenure as DGP.
Mehbooba’s dissenting note further said that Khoda’s appointment as CVC will send wrong signal to bureaucracy that they can get away with their “wrong doings’’ and get rewarded for that.

Employment package for minorities who didn’t migrate proposed

* Creation of 8 more courts of Mobile Magistrates gets nod

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 20: State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah at summer capital this afternoon, approved with certain clarifications and modifications the proposal of the Revenue Department for enhancement of incentives for the Kashmiri migrants under the Prime Minister’s Package for their Return and Rehabilitation. Now, the proposal would be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for funding. The Cabinet also gave nod to the proposal of the Law Department for creation of eight more courts of Additional Special Mobile Magistrates in order to ensure clearance of huge number of pending cases.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that following threadbare discussion, the Cabinet gave nod to the majority of points in the proposal, which was prepared by the Revenue Department on the instructions of the Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Raman Bhalla. However, the Cabinet carried out certain clarifications and modifications in the proposal.
“While making recommendations to the Government of India, it may be specifically mentioned that the revised package is being recommended subject to the condition that the funds for the same would be entirely borne by the Union Government”, the Cabinet decision read.
Sources said that Cabinet turned down the proposal of the Revenue Department with regard to extending benefit of incentives for construction of house in Group Housing Societies to those families, who have sold land after the coming into force of the J&K Migrant Immovable Property (Preservation, Protection and Restraint of Distress Sale) Act, 1997. “Even in the original package the coverage of such families was not envisaged”, the Cabinet decision said.
“The Cabinet directed the Revenue Department to immediately work out an employment package for Kashmiri minorities, who didn’t migrate, on the same lines as is available to the Kashmiri migrants”, sources informed, adding “this package would form the overall proposal to be submitted to the Government of India for funding”.
Sources said that Cabinet put its seal on enhancing incentive for construction/ renovation of houses from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, raising financial assistance for repair and renovation of dilapidated/ unused houses from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 4 lakh and enhancing incentives of Rs 7.5 lakh for purchase/ construction of house in Group Housing Societies to Rs 20 lakh in favour of those who have sold their properties during the period between 1989 and before the enactment of Distress Sale Act, 1997.
Since the construction of dwelling units at various transit camps has been carried out on increased specifications (from 214 sq feet to 515 sq feet) on the analogy of Jagti tenements, the cost per unit of the transit accommodation has been recommended to be enhanced from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh. “The Cabinet also approved continuation of cash relief and free ration to the migrant families of Jammu and Delhi for a period of two years even after their return to the Valley”, sources said.
It has also recommended that funds for all 6000 posts including remaining 3000, for which funds were to be provided by the State Government, should be provided by the Union Government. The Cabinet also approved enhancement of one time financial assistance for restoration of orchards to Rs 15,000 per kanal subject to a ceiling of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10000 per kanal subject to a ceiling of Rs 3 lakh for restoration of agricultural land.
It has also put seal on making recommendation to the Government of India for providing incentive up to 50 per cent of the term loan availed or Rs 10 lakh in case of those industrial units of Kashmiri migrants, which are still under their possession and been rendered sick. The Cabinet also approved enhancement of cash relief from Rs 5000 per month per family to Rs 10,000 per month per family subject to a maximum of Rs 2500 per head per family instead of existing Rs 1500 per head per family.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the exercise for enhanced package of incentives for Kashmiri migrants was started in September 2011 when State Government discussed the proposed revision of the ongoing economic package with the visiting Union Home Secretary.
During the review, the State Government was advised to seek the approval of the Apex Committee and the State Cabinet to the revised proposals before forwarding the same to the Government of India for consideration. Later, the revised proposal was placed before the Apex Committee and the same was endorsed by the latter. The proposal was also discussed by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on April 18, 2012.
The Cabinet also approved the proposal of the Law and Justice Department for creation of eight more courts of Additional Special Mobile Magistrates. With this, the total number of courts of Special and Additional Special Mobile Magistrates created so far with the specific purpose of ensuring clearance of huge number of pending cases has gone up to 36.
Following formal functioning of all these 36 courts, the State High Court will set target for each court regarding clearance of pending cases as all these courts are being established under the financial assistance given by the 13th Finance Commission to reduce pendency of cases.

Sharma to be BOPEE Chairman
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 20: State Cabinet today approved appointment of Prof R D Sharma, Dean Academics, Jammu University as next Chairman of Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE).
An official handout said that Cabinet approved the extension of present Chairman of BOPEE Prof Mushtaq Ahmed for the period of two months from June 17, 2012. It also approved the appointment of Prof R D Sharma, Dean Academics, Jammu University as Chairman BOPEE.
Immediately, Prof Sharma will work as OSD in BOPEE and on the expiry of two months term of Prof Mushtaq, he will take over as Chairman of BOPEE.
Meanwhile, Nirmal Sharma, Director, Command Area Development, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Reasi vice Sheetal Nanda, who will report to General Administration Department for further orders of posting.
Asgar Ali, Director, Land Records, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Director, Command Area Development, Jammu vice Nirmal Sharma.
Dalip Thusoo, awaiting orders of adjustment in the General Administration Department, has been posted as Secretary, J&K Sports Council on deputation basis vice Kiran Wattal, who has been posted as Managing Director, J&K Housing Board against an available vacancy relieving Chief Engineer, PWD Jammu of the additional charge of the post.
Parvaiz Iqbal Khateeb, Additional Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Tax Planning) has been transferred and posted as Additional Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Administration), Jammu against an available vacancy. He will hold the additional charge of the post of Additional Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Tax Planning) in addition to his own duties till further orders.
Rafiq Ahmad Hakim, under orders of transfer as Additional District Development Commissioner, Anantnag has been transferred and posted as Additional Commissioner, Commercial Taxes (Administration), Srinagar relieving Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Director, CA&PD, Kashmir of the additional charge of the post.
Rajinder Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur has been transferred and posted as Settlement Officer, Jammu against an available vacancy. He will hold the additional charge of the post of Director, Land Records and Consolidation, Jammu till further orders.
The Cabinet confirmed the posting of Abdul Qayoom Manhas as Inspector General of Police Railways. It also accorded the confirmation to the promotion of Showkat Ali Mir, Joint Director Fisheries as Director Fisheries.
Meanwhile, Government to accorded sanction to the deputation of Gurmukh Singh, Deputy Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board for being deployed as Director/ Deputy Director on short-term basis.

NEW DELHI, June 20:
A contest between UPA heavyweight Pranab Mukherjee and P A Sangma appears to be in the offing for Presidential poll as the former Lok Sabha Speaker quit NCP today amid indications that BJP and some other allies in NDA will support him.
64-year-old Sangma resigned from NCP a day before its Parliamentary Board meeting amid warnings that disciplinary action will be taken if he pressed his candidature in the poll.
After division in its ranks, NDA heaved a sigh of relief as BJP and some other allies appeared set to back Sangma with a formal decision expected soon.
The Left parties are also meeting tomorrow to decide their strategy for the Presidential elections. Though Mukherjee reached out to the Left when he called CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat for support, the latter was non-committal.
The NCP meeting has lost much of its significance after Sangma quit the party.
Congress made light of any serious challenge to Mukherjee in the contest, with party spokesperson Rashid Alvi saying “Pranab Mukherjee is sure to become the President of the country. He will have no problem at all (in winning the Presidential election).”
Though NDA is divided with Shiv Sena declaring support for Mukherjee and JD(U) insisting on a consensus for Mukherjee, BJP, SAD and Janata Party will in all likelihood rally behind Sangma.
Fully aware that Sangma stands little chance of winning, the BJP leaders are going for a contest in order to broadbase the opposition alliance given the fact that he has been backed AIADMK and BJD.
Sangma’s resignation came as a shot in the arm for NDA which was apprehensive that he may buckle under NCP pressure and opt out of the race. It would have been embarassing for the coalition to announce support to Sangma and then find that he is not going to contest.
The former Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to quit set off some activity in NDA camp. Though no NDA meeting was held, BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj, Jaswant Singh and L K Advani, along with Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy and Advani’s close aide Sudheendhra Kulkarni met and discussed the issue.
Sources said Sangma may meet Advani and other NDA leaders before a full-fledged NDA meeting is held to take a final call on his candidature.
BJP and Swamy have reportedly conveyed to Sangma their intent to support him.
Swamy met Sangma earlier in the day after which the 64-year-old former Lok Sabha Speaker announced his resignation from NCP, which had warned him of disciplinary action if he contested against Mukherjee.
Soon after the meeting, Kulkarni reached Sangma’s house. Sources said he was carrying a message from Advani that Sangma should not dither from his stand of contesting the poll.
BJP is also working towards convincing JD(U) to support Sangma, sources said. SAD is likely to back the former Speaker.
Sources indicated some announcement may be made by NDA tomorrow. (PTI)