Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb17: Full Bench of the State Accountability Commission comprising its Chairman Justice BA Khan (Retd) and Members Justice JP Singh (Retd) and Justice BA Kirmani (Retd) issued fresh notice to the former Deputy Chief Minister, the then Chairman Khadi Village and Industries Board (KVIB) Pt Mangat Ram Sharma in connection with the recruitment scam.
The notice was issued by the SAC Chairman and others as the former DyCM failed to appear before the SAC today. Even his counsel did not appear before the Commission on his behalf. However, the then Secretaries KVIB, J P Singh and R C Sharma appeared in person.
The State Accountability Commission, after hearing advocates Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed and Rahul Raina, appearing for the complainant Sajjad Majeed and the two former Secretaries KVIB, granted six weeks time to the former Secretaries to file their supplementary pleadings/documents in support of their defence before the next date of hearing.
As the matter came up for hearing today Sheikh Shakeel submitted that it was on October, 26, 2007 the State Accountability Commission had initiated a regular inquiry against the former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma and the two former Secretaries KVIB, JP Singh and RC Sharma. He further submitted that on November 27, 2007 in a writ petition filed by the former Deputy Chief Minister the proceedings before the Commission were directed to be kept in abeyance by the State High Court.
Advocate SS Ahmed drew the attention of the SAC to the latest Judgment passed by the Division Bench of the State High Court on February 9, 2016 whereby, the writ petition filed by the former DyCM was dismissed and directions were issued for taking the regular enquiry to its logical conclusion.
The Commission after considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed appearing for the complainant and the two former Secretaries issued fresh notice for summoning the former DyCM and further allowed six weeks time to the appearing Secretaries KVIB to file their supplementary pleadings/documents in support of their defence.
It is worthwhile to mention here that Sajjad Majeed, a social activist of Jammu had filed a complaint on August 1, 2007 in the State Accountability Commission leveling serious allegations against the then Deputy Chief Minister/Chairman KVIB Pt. Mangat Ram Sharma and two Secretaries JP Singh and RC Sharma, both KAS officers for making illegal/backdoor appointments in J&K Khadi Village and Industries Board.
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