PIL seeking prosecution sanction against tainted Bureacrats

DB directs CS & Secys GAD/Law to respond in a plea seeking transfer of tainted Secy. HUDD J&K

27/05/2016

Jammu, May 26: In the much publicized Public Interest Litigation seeking sanction for prosecution of tainted bureaucrats involved in corruption cases took a new turn when a Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice A.M. Magray and Justice B.S. Walia issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Commissioner/Secretary to Govt. General Administration Department in a plea seeking transfer /removal of Hirdesh Kumar Singh (IAS) from the coveted post of Commissioner/ Secretary to Govt. of J&K, Housing and Urban Development Department in view of his facing serious allegations of corruption because of his involvement in two FIRs pertaining to infamous Roshni Land Scam wherein the SVO after establishing the prima facie cases has sought sanction for his prosecution alongwith other in-service public servants.
After hearing Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocates Irfaan Mohd. Khan and Rahul Raina appearing for the petitioners the Division Bench issued notices in the open court to the Chief Secretary and Secretary GAD for filing their response within two weeks to the Miscellaneous Petition No.03/2016 seeking transfer of Hirdesh Kumar Singh (IAS) from the coveted post of Commissioner/ Secretary to Govt. of J&K, HUDD and Additional Advocate General Ajay Sharma accepted notices on behalf of Chief Secretary and Secretary, General Administration Department.
Division Bench also issued notices to Chief Secretary, Secretary GAD and Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department in MP No.04/2016 seeking directions for production before the Court the inquiry report pursuant to Govt. 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 and the notices were accepted by AAG Ajay Sharma and two weeks time was allowed to file response to this Miscellaneous Petition.
The said works were to be undertaken by PDD, PWD, Floriculture and other line departments but the then Chairman J&K Housing Board in order to nurse his constituency for electoral gains issued illegal directions to Ram Pal the then MD Housing Board to execute several works through his blue eyed contractors in derogation to J&K Business Rules read with J&K Financial Code. The works in question were distributed to select contractors who were enjoying proximity with the Former Minister Raman Bhalla. Advocate Ahmed further submitted that Bipul Pathak (IAS) the then Commissioner/Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, J&K Government taking serious note of the creation of Rs.27.60 crore liability issued Govt. Order No.178-HUD of 2015 dated July, 14, 2015 whereby a Committee was constituted comprising MD J&K Housing Board, Additional Secretary to Govt. Housing and Urban Development Department and Joint Director Planning and Statistics Housing and Urban Development Department for conducting inquiry into the works executed by J&K Housing Board during the tenure of the then Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla. The Committee was directed to look into entire gamut under which these works were executed and whether the requisite codal formalities were fulfilled before execution of works or not. The Committee was also asked to conduct the physical verification of works on random basis to test check the quality and quantity of works so executed viz-a-viz amount spent/liability accrued. The Committee was directed to furnish its report within 15 days positively to the Government.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that till date despite the lapse of more than 10 months the enquiry has not been finalized and the Committee is sitting over the matter solely due to the political clout enjoyed by then Minister for Housing Raman Bhalla and his stooge Ram Pal who carried out his illegal orders just to remain in good books of the Minister. Division Bench also took cognizance of Miscellaneous Petition No.02/2016 and 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 Commi ssioner and Information Commissioner as according to the petitioners the State Information Commissioner has been rendered almost defunct in view of superannuation of Mr. G.R. Sufi and Dr.S.K. Sharma as Chief Infor mation Commissioner and Infor mation Commissioner respectively. JNF

Photo Gallery

BSE Sensex

NSE Nifty