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J&K administration to look into IAS officer’s charges
Senior IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar had lodged a compliant with National Commission for Scheduled Castes(NCSC), New Delhi, against LG Manoj Sinha and chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta
Days after a senior IAS officer levelled allegations of corruption and harassment against Jammu and Kashmir official and lieutenant governor, the administration has decided to look into the matter, a top official said.
The complaint lodged by the senior IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar National Commission for Scheduled Castes(NCSC), New Delhi, was against LG Manoj Sinha and the Union territory’s chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta.
“We will look into any allegations. We will take action against false complaints,” a senior J&K administration officer privy to the developments said on Wednesday.
The allegations triggered strong reactions from two J&K chief ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the IAS officer has finally confirmed the rot in the system.
“Allegations about corruption at the highest level in J&K have finally found feet to stand upon. When an IAS officer confirms the rot in the system at the very top it indicates the grave risks he’s taken by exposing them. Instead of punishing culprits responsible for bungling of thousands of 3000 crores in the Jal Jeevan scheme, an upright officer is made to suffer,” Mufti wrote on X, formerly twitter.
Omar Abdullah demanded an impartial investigation into the allegations.
“The allegations are serious enough to warrant an impartial investigation but we know that will never happen. Sadly the news media has completely ignored this story. They are being kept too busy chasing Ms World & other fluff stories. The lure of advertising rupees & the fear of summons to police stations have effectively silenced what was once a vibrant free(ish?) press in J&K,” Omar Abdullah wrote on X.
Parmar, who is one of the senior IAS officers in J&K was shifted on July 31, from Principal Secretary Skill Development Department and was posted as Chairman, Bureau of Public Enterprises, J&K. Days before the transfer order, Parmar had a verbal spat with Cheif Secretary Mehta during an official meeting, senior government sources said. The official claimed he also flagged the issue to union home secretary AK Bhalla but hasn’t received any response.
