J&K Bank to challenge SIC judgment in High Court

RTI order calls for making public names of major loan defaulters

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 26: Jammu and Kashmir Bank Ltd (JKB) has decided to challenge State Information Commission’s ruling of declaring it as a “Public Authority” and making it bound to provide information under RTI Act of 2009, in J&K High Court.

Highly placed sources revealed to Early Times that JKB was not going to implement SIC’s order of providing information to applicants under RTI 2009. As reported in detail in today’s newspapers, SIC’s full bench judgment, as pronounced on April 24^th, has declared the bank as “Public Authority” and thus made it bound by law to provide information to the applicants under RTI Act of 2009.

Sources said that after telephonic conversations with senior advocate Zaffar Ahmad Shah, who represented JKB in SIC, and top functionaries associated with legal department of the bank, Chairman Mushtaq Ahmad was strongly holding the opinion of contesting the SIC order in the appellate forum. According to these sources, issues could be discussed also with Directors on Board and a formal decision of challenging the SIC order was likely to be taken by Saturday next.

Chairman, according to sources, was busy with holding the interviews for Vice Presidents on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, he was expected to take a formal decision, possibly after taking Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, too into confidence. Both, according to sources, were averse to bringing JKB under purview of RTI Act and had accordingly advised both Houses of Legislature not to admit any questions, discussions, resolutions, calling attention motions or legislation on functioning of the bank.

On bank’s behalf, counsel Z A Shah had forcefully argued before SIC that bringing JKB under purview of RTI Act could lead to “exploiters” filing petitions to harass and blackmail the bank official and leadership. That argument, however, was not taken as tenable by the SIC full bench, headed by Chief Information Commissioner Ghulam Rasool Sufi. Mr Sufi believed that most of such apprehensions, though not completely unreal, had been addressed and necessary safeguards stood adequately provided in sections Nos 8, 10 and 11 of the RTI Act of 2009.

While as JKB’s Executive President (Law), Sahibzada Ghulam Mohiuddin, did not respond to phone calls, President (Law), Roop Krishen Shah, asserted that he could give the bank’s formal reaction to the SIC judgment on Saturday. “We have received authentic copy of the judgment today and begun to examine it in detail. Yes, we may challenge it but we can tell you only tomorrow or the day after”, Mr Shah said. Incharge of the bank’s public relations and media at Corporate Communications, Sajjad Bazaz, too maintained that a formal reaction would be available only on Saturday next.

Sources, nevertheless, disclosed that the bank leadership was particularly perturbed over the direction of providing details of the loan defaulters, who had outstanding of over Rs 50 Lakh against them, to the RTI activists. “Chairman Sahab wants to maintain customer-friendly ambience of the bank. He was among the officials who had resisted to the condemned practice of taking drum-beaters to the doorsteps of defaulters in the past. He is keen to ensure recoveries but also particular to see that the bank did not become source of embarrassment for many of the respected traders who had fallen under slump but had not the intention of grabbing the bank’s money”, said an official.

However, quite a number of functionaries, including those on middle ranks, believed that implementation of RTI Act would enhance transparency and accountability and thus lead to more of the customers’ faith in the working of the financial institution. “It’s a fundamentally strong bank. RTI or no RTI would not matter. We have completely come out the recession and our share price is about to reach back to the dream line of Rs 1000. Our business will be Rs 100,000 Crore and profit over Rs 1,000 by the end of this financial year”, said another senior executive.

After dismissing the bank’s arguments, SIC has directed the Chairman to provide to one of the complainants complete list of those defaulters who owed more than Rs 50 lakh to the bank. Yet another perturbing direction wanted delivery of complete list of the candidates who had appeared in last year’s competitive examination for selection of Banking Associates. While as one of the nine clubbed petitioners has sought copy of the marks sheet, another has demanded all particulars, including name, parentage, residence, qualification and marks obtained in the personality test by the selected candidates.

Admitting the arguments of advocate Vilakshana Singh, who was also one among the nine petitioners who had challenged the bank’s refusal of providing them information under RTI Act, SIC has directed Chairman JKB to implement the judgment within one month.

END

Cabinet approves pending instalment of DA to employees, creation of staff for Trade Facilitation Centers, Grade promotion to Sunita Sharma (IAS), Shaukat Malik, Rauful Hassan (IPS)

The State Cabinet which met here this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah, ordered payment of Dearness Allowance to State Government Employees and Pensioners-revised rates effective from Ist January 2012.

The Cabinet also approved construction of Convention Centre at Jammu and Optic Fiber Communication assigned to PGCIL for execution in J&K.

The Cabinet approved creation of staff for manning the Trade Facilitation Centers at Salamabad Uri and Chakan-da-Bagh Poonch and Constitution of State Planning Board (SPB).

Revision of the rates of Compensatory Allowance and Border Allowance was also approved by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to release of Cost Living Allowance (COLA) for the period ending June 2010 in favour of State owned Public Sector Employees, creation of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the International Trade Centre (ITC) at Pampore.

The Cabinet also approved the promotions of Mrs. Sunita Sharma, IAS to Super Time Scale of IAS, Mr. Showkat Ahmad Malik IPS to the selection grade of IPS, Mr. Rauf-ul-Hassan, IPS to the selection grade of IPS w.e.f. 1.1.2006 on regular basis and promotions of officers to the various scale of IPS.

The Cabinet accorded Administrative Approval for construction of residential flats for employees at Pampore.

SEE DETAILS OF POLICE RESHUFFLE IN ANOTHER POST BELOW THIS

Pradeep new Div Com Jammu, Kotwal goes to Transport

        

 The State cabinet which met here this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah ordered following transfers;

            

Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu has been transferred and posted as Commissioner/Secretary, Transport Department.

            

Mr. Pradeep Gupta, Commissioner/Secretary, Transport Department has been transferred and posted as Divisional Commissioner, Jammu.

     

Cabinet orders major reshuffle in Police Deptt.

The State cabinet which met here this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah ordered following transfers and postings in Police Department.

1.                       Sheikh Owais Ahmad, IPS (JK: 87), IGP, (P&T), PHQ, holding additional charge of the post of IGP, Technical Services is posted as IGP, Technical Services on full time basis.

2.           Shri Hemant Kumar Lohia, IPS (JK:92), IGP, Traffic, J&K is transferred and posted as Director, SSG, J&K, which post is declared equivalent in rank and status to that of IGP till held by the officer.

3.           Shri Abdul Ghani Mir, IPS (JK:94), DIG, CKR, Srinagar on his promotion as IGP is posted as IGP, Crime, J&K against an available vacancy.

4.           Shri Mohammad Sulaiman Salaria, IPS (JK:94), DIG, Vigilance, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP (Personnel), PHQ vice Sheikh Owais Ahmad, IPS.

5.           Shri Sunil Kumar Sharma, IPS (JK:94), DIG, CID, Jammu, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP, Security, J&K against an available vacancy.

6.           Shri Farooq Khan, IPS (JK:94), DIG, Jammu-Kathua Range, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as Director, SKPA, Udhampur against an available vacancy. 

7.           Dr. Kamal Kumar Saini, IPS (JK:94), DIG, IRP, Jammu, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP, Training/CIV,  PHQ, the post which has been added to IPS of J&K Cadre vide Government Order No. Home-391 (P) of 2012 dated 26.04.2012.

8.           Shri Prithvi Raj Manhas, IPS (JK:94), DIG, Security, J&K, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP/ Commissioner, Civil Military Liaison, Home Department vice Shri Surrinder Kumar Gupta, IPS.

9.           Shri Yoginder Kaul, IPS (JK:94), DIG, Crime, J&K, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP,  HG/CD, J&K. His salary shall be drawn against the post of Special IGP,Baramulla-Kupwara-Bandipora.

10.        Shri Alok Puri, IPS (JK:94), DIG (Admn), PHQ, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as Managing Director,  Jammu and Kashmir Police Housing Corporation against an available vacancy.

11.        Shri Muneer Ahmad Khan, IPS (JK:94), DIG, NKR, Baramulla, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP,  Traffic, J&K vice Shri Hemant Kumar Lohia, IPS.

12.        Shri Abdul Qayoom Manhas, IPS (JK:94), DIG, Trainings, APHQ, on his promotion as IGP, is posted as IGP, J&K State Human Rights Commission against an available vacancy.

13.        Shri Rajesh Kumar, IPS (JK:95), DIG, Rajouri-Poonch Range is transferred and posted as DIG, NKR, Baramulla vice Shri Muneer Ahmad Khan, IPS.

14.        Shri Tsering Punchok, IPS (JK:95), DIG, Joint Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur is transferred and posted as DIG, IR, Jammu vice Dr. Kamal Kumar Saini, IPS.

15.        Shri Manish Kishore Sinha, IPS (JK:96), DIG,  Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban  Range is transferred and posted as DIG, Rajouri-Poonch Range vice Shri Rajesh Kumar, IPS.

16.        Shri Shafqat Ali Watali, IPS (JK:96), DIG, SKR, Anantnag is transferred and posted as DIG, Traffic, Kashmir vice Shri Vijay Kumar, IPS.

17.        Shri J.P. Singh, IPS (JK:96), Director, SSG, J&K is transferred and posted as DIG, Jammu-Kathua Range vice Shri Farooq Khan, IPS.

18.        Shri Garib Dass, IPS (JK:97), DIG, CIV, PHQ is transferred and posted as DIG, Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban  Range  vice Shri Manish Kishore Sinha, IPS.

19.        Shri Vijay Kumar, IPS (JK:97), DIG, Traffic, Kashmir is transferred and posted as DIG, SKR, Anantnag vice Shri Shafqat Ali Watali, IPS.

20.        Shri Kasturi Lal Bhagat, IPS (JK:97), DIG,  IR, Kashmir is transferred and posted as DIG, Crime, J&K  vice Shri Yoginder Kaul, IPS.

21.        Shri Surrinder Kumar Gupta, IPS (JK:97), Director,  Civil Military Liaison, Home Department is transferred and posted as DIG, CID, Jammu vice Shri Sunil Kumar Sharma, IPS

22.        Shri Rajinder Prasad Rasotra, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG is posted as DIG, Administration, PHQ vice Shri Alok Puri, IPS.

23.        Shri Parminder Singh, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as Joint Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur vice Shri Tsering Punchok, IPS.

24.        Shri Showkat Ahmad Malik, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as DIG, State Vigilance Organization vice Shri  Mohammad Sulaiman Salaria, IPS.

25.        Syed Ahafadul Mujtaba, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as DIG, CKR, Srinagar vice Shri Abdul Gani Mir, IPS.

26.        Shri Abdul Hamid, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as DIG, IR, Kashmir vice Shri Kasturi Lal Bhagat, IPS.

27.        Shri Mushtaq Mohammad Sadiq, IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as DIG, Security, J&K vice Shri Prithvi Raj Manhas, IPS.

28.        Shri Shakeel Ahmad Beigh,  IPS (JK:98), SSP on his promotion as DIG, is posted as DIG, CIV, PHQ vice Shri Garib Dass, IPS.

29.        Shri Anand Jain, IPS (JK:99), Commandant IR-15^th Bn. is transferred and posted as SSP, Baramulla vice Dr. Haseeb Mughal.

30.        Shri Bashir Ahmad Itoo, IPS (JK:99), SSP, State Human Rights Commission is transferred and posted as SSP, Railways, Kashmir vice Shri Baker Hussain Samoon.

31.        Shri Ashkoor Ahmad Wani, IPS (JK:99), SSP, Poonch is transferred and posted as SSP, Udhampur vice Shri Shakeel Ahmad Beigh, IPS.

32.        Shri Jagdish Lal Sharma, IPS (JK:99), SSP, Kathua is  transferred and posted as SSP, CID, SB, Jammu vice Shri Rajinder Prasad Rasotra, IPS.

33.        Shri Basant Kumar Rath, IPS (JK-2000) awaiting orders of adjustment is posted as Commandant IRP 3^rd Bn vice Shri Sohan Lal Koul, who is retiring on superannuation on 30^th April 2012 (A.N).

34.        Shri Vidhi Kumar Birdi, IPS (JK:2003), SP, Kupwara is transferred and posted as SP, SSG against an available vacancy.

35.        Shri Atul Kumar Goel, IPS (JK:2004), SP, Reasi is transferred and posted as SP, Kathua vice Shri Jagdish Lal Sharma, IPS.

36.        Shri Sujit Kumar, IPS (JK:2007), Addl. SP, Budgam is transferred and posted as SP, Traffic Rural, Jammu vice Shri Abdul Razak, who is retiring on superannuation on 30^th April 2012 (A.N).

37.        Ms. Neeva Jain, IPS (JK:2008), on her promotion to the Senior Time Scale of IPS, is posted as Addl. SP, Ganderbal against an available vacancy.

38.        Mrs. Ajeetha Begum Sulthan, IPS (JK:2008), on her promotion to the Senior Time Scale of IPS, is posted as Addl. SP, Ramban vice Shri Parshotam Kumar.

39.        Shri Tejinder Singh, IPS (JK:2008), on his promotion to the Senior Time Scale of IPS, is posted as Addl. SP, Kupwara against an available vacancy.

40.        Shri Abdul Jabbar, IPS (JK:08), on his promotion to the Senior Time Scale of IPS, is posted as Addl. SP, Kulgam vice Shri Mohammad Shafi Mir.

41.        Shri Mansoor Ahmad Untoo, IPS,  SO to ADGP,  Armed/Law & Order is transferred and posted as SSP, CID Hqrs against an available vacancy.

42.        Shri Raghubir Singh, IPS, SSP, Railways, Jammu is transferred and posted as SSP, Reasi vice Shri Atul Kumar Goel, IPS.

43.        Shri Rattan Chand Manotra, IPS, SO to IGP, Crime is transferred and posted as Commandant IR-1^st Bn against an available vacancy.

44.        Shri Suresh Kumar Sharma, Commandant IRP-18^th Bn. is transferred and posted as SO to IGP, Railways, J&K vice Shri Thakur Dass Saini.

45.        Shri Jang Bahadur Singh, Commandant IRP-16^th Bn. is transferred and posted as SO to IGP, Armed/IRP, Jammu vice Shri Ramesh Kumar Bhat.

46.        Shri Ghulam Hassan Shah, Commandant JKAP-14^th Bn is transferred and posted as Commandant IRP-18^th Bn vice Shri Suresh Kumar Sharma.

47.        Shri Ghulam Rasool Dar, Addl. SP Pulwama is transferred and posted as Commandant IR-16^th Bn vice Shri Jang Bahadur Singh.

48.        Shri Ashok Kumar Sharma, SP, Principal PTS, Kathua is transferred and posted as SO to ADGP Armed/Law & Order vice Shri Mansoor Ahmad Untoo, IPS.

49.        Shri Thakur Dass Saini, SP, SO to IGP, Railways is transferred and posted as Commandant JKAP-14 Bn vice Shri Ghulam Hassan Shah.

50.        Dr. Mohammad Haseeb Mughal, SP Baramulla is transferred and posted as SP, CID (SB), Kashmir against an available vacancy.

51.        Shri Ramesh Kumar Bhat, SP, SO to IGP Armed/IR, Jammu is transferred and posted as Principal, PTS, Kathua vice Shri Ashok Kumar Sharma.

52.        Shri Vikas Gupta, SP,  Deputy Commandant, IR-11^th Bn is transferred and posted as Divisional Commandant, Home Guards, Jammu against an available vacancy.

53.        Shri Abdul Qayoom, Addl. SP, CID (SB), Kashmir is transferred and posted as SP, Hazratbal vice Shri Abdul Wahid Shah.

54.        Mrs. Nisha Nathyal, SP, AIG Welfare, PHQ is transferred and posted as Commandant, IR-15^th Bn vice Shri Anand Jain, IPS.

55.        Shri Maqsood-ul-Zaman, SP Kulgam is transferred and posted as SP, Security, Civil Secretariat, J&K vice Shri Manzoor Ahmad Dalal.

56.        Shri Shiv Kumar Sharma, SP, Deputy Commandant, IR-4^th Bn is transferred and posted as SP, Railways, Jammu vice Shri Raghubir Singh, IPS.

57.        Mrs. Anita Sharma, SP, Dy. Commandant IRP-15^th Bn. is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Crime, Jammu vice Shri Ranjit Singh Samyal.

58.        Shri Mohammad Shafi Mir, Addl. SP Kulgam is posted as SP, Kulgam vice Shri Maqsood-ul-Zaman.

59.        Dr. Koushal Kumar, Addl. SP, Nowshera is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Samba vice Shri Sanjay Kumar.

60.        Shri Parshotam Kumar Sharma, Addl. SP, Ramban is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Nowshera vice Dr. Koushal Kumar.

61.        Shri Baker Hussain Samoon, SP, Railways, Kashmir is transferred and posted as Principal, PTS, Manigam against an available vacancy. 

62.        Shri Ranjit Singh Samyal, Addl. SP, Crime, Jammu is transferred and posted as AIG, Welfare, PHQ vice Mrs. Nisha Nathyal.

63.        Shri Sanjeev Kumar Khajuria, SP, Dy. Commandant, JKAP-8^th Bn. is transferred and posted as Principal, CTC, Lethpora against the post of Dy. Commandant JKAP-8^th Bn;

64.        Shri Sanjay Kumar, Addl. SP, Samba is transferred and posted as Commandant, JKAP-6^th Bn. against an available vacancy.

65.        Shri Mohammad Arshad, SP, Awantipora is transferred and posted as SP, Kupwara vice Shri Vidhi Kumar Birdi.

66.        Shri Tahir Sajad Bhat, SP, Police Component, Srinagar is transferred and posted as SP, East Srinagar vice Sheikh Zulfiqar Azad, SP.

67.        Shri Randeep Kumar, SP, Dy. CO IR-13^th Bn. is transferred and posted as Commandant IR-20^th Bn. against an available vacancy.

68.        Shri Fayaz Ahmad Lone, SP, Dy. Commandant, IRP-16^th Bn. is transferred and posted as Commandant, JKAP-11^th Bn. vice Shri Ghulam Jeelani Dhar, who is retiring on superannuation on 30^th April 2012.

69.        Shri Abdul Wahid Shah, SP, Hazratbal is transferred and posted as SP, Awantipora vice Shri Mohammad Arshad.

70.        Shri Javid Hassan Bhat, SP, Enforcement is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Pulwama vice Shri Ghulam Rasool Dar.

71.        Shri Benam Tosh, SP, SO to DIG, Jammu/Kathua Range is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Udhampur against an available vacancy.

72.        Shri Showkat Hussain Shah, SP, North Srinagar is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, CID SB, Kashmir vice Shri Abdul Qayoom.

73.        Shri Shamsheer Hussain, Addl. SP, Bandipora is transferred and posted as SP, Poonch vice Shri Ashkoor Ahmad Wani, IPS. 

74.        Shri Mohammad Shabir, Addl. SP, Rajouri is transferred and posted as Principal, STC, Talwara against an available vacancy.

75.        Shri Stenzin Nurbo , Addl. SP, Leh is transferred and posted as SO to DIG, Jammu-Kathua Range vice Shri Benam Tosh.

76.        Shri Manzoor Ahmad Dalal, SP, Security, Civil Secretariat, J&K is transferred and posted as SP, Traffic (Rural) Kashmir against an available vacancy.

77.        Shri Showkat Iqbal, SP, APCR, Srinagar is transferred and posted as SP, State Human Right Commission vice Shri Bashir Ahmad Itoo, IPS.

78.        Shri Abdul Qayoom Sofi, SP, Dy. Commandant, IRP-7^th Bn. is transferred and posted as SP, Enforcement  vice Shri Javid Hassan Bhat.

79.        Shri Farooq Ahmad Hakeem, Addl. SP, Security, Kashmir is transferred and posted as SO to IGP, Kashmir against an available vacancy.

80.        Shri Punchok Sonam, SP, Dy. Commandant IRP-18^th Bn. is transferred and posted as Addl. SP, Leh vice Shri Stenzin Nurbo.

81.        Sheikh Zulfikar Azad, I/C SP, East Srinagar is transferred and posted as I/C SP, PC, Srinagar vice Shri Tahir Sajad Bhat.

END

Rajendra may emerge as dark horse between 3 Biharis

J&K Govt unlikely to appoint new DGP on Delhi’s choice

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 24: Even as the union Home Secretary, R K Singh, has recommended three senior IPS officers from his home state of Bihar and he wants one of them to succeed Kuldeep Khoda as Director General of Police in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah government is now expected to assert with its own choice. In the gradually changing circumstances, state’s senior most Additional DGP (ADGP), K Rajendra Kumar, is emerging as the dark horse between the three nominees---Arun Choudhary, Ashok Prasad and P M Nair.

Sources linked to top corridors of power revealed to Early Times today that the state government had developed ‘serious reservations’ to the idea of taking the choice for the top post from Government of India. According to these sources, it was “simply a routine practice” for the union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to submit a panel of three senior IPS officers whenever the post of DGP fell vacant in any state in the country.

“For Union Territories, the decision lies with MHA. In case of states, it is the state government that has to take the decision”, said a top level government functionary. He sought to make it clear that MHA had been only regulating the Indian Police Service (IPS) the way Department of Personnel & Training of the union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, had been regulating Indian Administrative Service (IAS). While as the former functions under the union Home Minister, latter works under the direct control of Prime Minister.

J&K Government is supposed to appoint new DGP before the end of next month as the incumbent head of the state Police, Kuldeep Khoda, is reaching superannuation on 31-05-2012. A son of the soil, Khoda is a regular recruit of IPS batch 1974. Even as his detractors are said to be planning ‘Gen Bikram Singh type’ impediments against the outgoing DGP towards his retirement in Police, Omar Abdullah government is believed to be determined to appoint Khoda as the first chief of the State Vigilance Commission (SVC), constituted under law in February 2011.

Previously, a technical problem was stated to be the roadblock in appointing an IPS officer of J&K cadre as the new DGP. Neither of Khoda’s immediate followers, namely K Rajendra Kumar and P L Gupta, has completed 30 years of service in IPS. Both of them are regular recruits of IPS 1984 batch. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Rajendra has been functioning as ADGP Armed and Law & Order since August 2010. A permanent resident of Jammu, Gupta has been on the ex-cadre posting of Vigilance Commissioner since July 2009.

Those insisting on appointment of someone from J&K cadre of IPS as the new DGP have been cautioning that ‘importing’ an outsider would be unwise for a host of reasons. According to their averments, any outsider at the fag end of his career would not contribute anything to Police force in J&K. “It takes decades, nor years or months, to understand a conflict-riddled and politically sensitive state like Jammu & Kashmir”, said one of them, who has retired on a senior position in J&K Police 20 years back. He maintained that 30 years of service was “a custom, not a rule” and narrated how FTR Colaso had been “imported” and appointed as DGP in J&K when he was just 49 year old and had put in total of 24 years in IPS.

Politicians have their own apprehensions. “Our opposition leaders have already created an impression that this state was being run by Biharis and Intelligence Bureau. It would be extremely imprudent to take diktats from the Centre and appoint an outsider as the new DGP in J&K”, said a senior Cabinet Minister. He asserted that the union Home Secretary, who is himself from Bihar, should not have picked up all the three names from the IPS officers of Bihar. He described both, Rajendra as well as Gupta, as “very competent and experienced officers” and said that one of them had the distinction of having held the most sensitive postings including those of SSP Srinagar, DIG Kashmir, IGP Kashmir, IGP Jammu, IGP CID and ADG Law & Order. “He remained on the forefront of counter-insurgency operations and nearly got killed while protecting former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad”, he said with obvious reference to Rajendra.

However, yet another Minister described Rajendra as “highly arrogant” and said that he would never care for requests and recommendations from the Ministers. Gupta, according to him, was “well mannered, soft-spoken and unassuming”. He took pride in saying that Gupta, as well as his brother Jeet Lal Gupta, who is Commissioner-Secretary Social Welfare Department, were “icons of integrity”.

Sources in bureaucracy said that the union Home Secretary’s first choice, Arun Choudhary, had the advantage of having functioned as Special Director in IB and had extensive knowledge about the state’s persons, places and politics. Before his appointment as Special Director General of Central Industrial Security Force on June 7^th, 2011, Choudhary remained associated with and posted in J&K for several years. However, after his last posting as SSP of Patna and going to Central deputation in 1994, this IPS officer of 1977 batch, Bihar cadre, has never had any exposure in Executive police.

Currently posted as Additional Director of IB in J&K, Ashok Prasad, belongs to 1979 batch of IPS, Andhra Pradesh cadre. His residential state is also Bihar. Centre’s third nominee, PM Nair, is from IPS batch of 1978. He too is from Bihar. Having worked as IG Operations in CRPF in Jammu, in the year 2005-06, Nair is currently Special DG Operations in CRPF. Last year, he had been nominated for his appointment as DGP in Jharkhand but was dropped at the eleventh hour.

According to these sources, Choudhary and Prasad were equally influential in MHA. Both were being supported by powerful lobbies. However, Prasad was believed to be having an edge over Choudhary as both, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, as well as Governor, N N Vohra, were on his side until last month. “Mr Nair is just filler. Choudhary and Prasad are 50:50 in New Delhi. There being a tie between them, Rajendra can emerge as the dark horse”, said a top ranking IAS officer. He said that the only thing that could go against his prospects, and would not be liked by Chief Minister, was Rajendra’s act of mobilizing opinion in his favour through media and retired DGPs.

END

Rajendra may emerge as dark horse between 3 Biharis

J&K Govt unlikely to appoint new DGP on Delhi’s choice

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 24: Even as the union Home Secretary, R K Singh, has recommended three senior IPS officers from his home state of Bihar and he wants one of them to succeed Kuldeep Khoda as Director General of Police in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah government is now expected to assert with its own choice. In the gradually changing circumstances, state’s senior most Additional DGP (ADGP), K Rajendra Kumar, is emerging as the dark horse between the three nominees---Arun Choudhary, Ashok Prasad and P M Nair.

Sources linked to top corridors of power revealed to Early Times today that the state government had developed ‘serious reservations’ to the idea of taking the choice for the top post from Government of India. According to these sources, it was “simply a routine practice” for the union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to submit a panel of three senior IPS officers whenever the post of DGP fell vacant in any state in the country.

“For Union Territories, the decision lies with MHA. In case of states, it is the state government that has to take the decision”, said a top level government functionary. He sought to make it clear that MHA had been only regulating the Indian Police Service (IPS) the way Department of Personnel & Training of the union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, had been regulating Indian Administrative Service (IAS). While as the former functions under the union Home Minister, latter works under the direct control of Prime Minister.

J&K Government is supposed to appoint new DGP before the end of next month as the incumbent head of the state Police, Kuldeep Khoda, is reaching superannuation on 31-05-2012. A son of the soil, Khoda is a regular recruit of IPS batch 1974. Even as his detractors are said to be planning ‘Gen Bikram Singh type’ impediments against the outgoing DGP towards his retirement in Police, Omar Abdullah government is believed to be determined to appoint Khoda as the first chief of the State Vigilance Commission (SVC), constituted under law in February 2011.

Previously, a technical problem was stated to be the roadblock in appointing an IPS officer of J&K cadre as the new DGP. Neither of Khoda’s immediate followers, namely K Rajendra Kumar and P L Gupta, has completed 30 years of service in IPS. Both of them are regular recruits of IPS 1984 batch. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Rajendra has been functioning as ADGP Armed and Law & Order since August 2010. A permanent resident of Jammu, Gupta has been on the ex-cadre posting of Vigilance Commissioner since July 2009.

Those insisting on appointment of someone from J&K cadre of IPS as the new DGP have been cautioning that ‘importing’ an outsider would be unwise for a host of reasons. According to their averments, any outsider at the fag end of his career would not contribute anything to Police force in J&K. “It takes decades, nor years or months, to understand a conflict-riddled and politically sensitive state like Jammu & Kashmir”, said one of them, who has retired on a senior position in J&K Police 20 years back. He maintained that 30 years of service was “a custom, not a rule” and narrated how FTR Colaso had been “imported” and appointed as DGP in J&K when he was just 49 year old and had put in total of 24 years in IPS.

Politicians have their own apprehensions. “Our opposition leaders have already created an impression that this state was being run by Biharis and Intelligence Bureau. It would be extremely imprudent to take diktats from the Centre and appoint an outsider as the new DGP in J&K”, said a senior Cabinet Minister. He asserted that the union Home Secretary, who is himself from Bihar, should not have picked up all the three names from the IPS officers of Bihar. He described both, Rajendra as well as Gupta, as “very competent and experienced officers” and said that one of them had the distinction of having held the most sensitive postings including those of SSP Srinagar, DIG Kashmir, IGP Kashmir, IGP Jammu, IGP CID and ADG Law & Order. “He remained on the forefront of counter-insurgency operations and nearly got killed while protecting former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad”, he said with obvious reference to Rajendra.

However, yet another Minister described Rajendra as “highly arrogant” and said that he would never care for requests and recommendations from the Ministers. Gupta, according to him, was “well mannered, soft-spoken and unassuming”. He took pride in saying that Gupta, as well as his brother Jeet Lal Gupta, who is Commissioner-Secretary Social Welfare Department, were “icons of integrity”.

Sources in bureaucracy said that the union Home Secretary’s first choice, Arun Choudhary, had the advantage of having functioned as Special Director in IB and had extensive knowledge about the state’s persons, places and politics. Before his appointment as Special Director General of Central Industrial Security Force on June 7^th, 2011, Choudhary remained associated with and posted in J&K for several years. However, after his last posting as SSP of Patna and going to Central deputation in 1994, this IPS officer of 1977 batch, Bihar cadre, has never had any exposure in Executive police.

Currently posted as Additional Director of IB in J&K, Ashok Prasad, belongs to 1979 batch of IPS, Andhra Pradesh cadre. His residential state is also Bihar. Centre’s third nominee, PM Nair, is from IPS batch of 1978. He too is from Bihar. Having worked as IG Operations in CRPF in Jammu, in the year 2005-06, Nair is currently Special DG Operations in CRPF. Last year, he had been nominated for his appointment as DGP in Jharkhand but was dropped at the eleventh hour.

According to these sources, Choudhary and Prasad were equally influential in MHA. Both were being supported by powerful lobbies. However, Prasad was believed to be having an edge over Choudhary as both, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, as well as Governor, N N Vohra, were on his side until last month. “Mr Nair is just filler. Choudhary and Prasad are 50:50 in New Delhi. There being a tie between them, Rajendra can emerge as the dark horse”, said a top ranking IAS officer. He said that the only thing that could go against his prospects, and would not be liked by Chief Minister, was Rajendra’s act of mobilizing opinion in his favour through media and retired DGPs.

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Lifted from Katmandu, Srinagar trader untraced since Aug 2000

Dehumanized politicians like Omar, Mehbooba, Mirwaiz and Gilani, do least care for ordinary Kashmiris: Traumatized mother Zubeda

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Apr 23: Zubeda of Safakadal, a downtown interior in Srinagar, has left no stone unturned to trace her eldest son, Ghulam Mohammad Sofi (46), in the last 12 years. But her sighs and sobs before the who’s who of Jammu and Kashmir politicians have lost in futility. Traumatized by the continued disappearance of her son, she views all of them---from Dr Farooq Abdullah to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed; from Omar Abdullah to Mehbooba Mufti; from Syed Ali Shah Geelani to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq; and, from Professor Gani to Yasin Malik---as “dehumanized politicians”.

“Their politics and activities are limited to their personal agenda of making money and building fortunes for their own sons and daughters”, 65-year-old housewife Zubeda complained to Early Times. She claimed that all of the state’s “self-styled leaders” remained unmoved and many of them even posed to be concerned but none of them provided her an iota of support in regaining her son. A voluminous folder of documents she carries in an extreme state of distress speaks how she ran from pillar to post in search of Ghulam Mohammad but none of the individuals and institutions helped her get a look of her son for over a decade.

During her untold tribulation, Zubeda not only filed habeas corpus petition in Supreme Court of Nepal but also knocked at the doors of National Human Rights Commission. Separatist politicians like Geelani told her it was none of their business to call for shutdown over the Kashmiris disappeared in countries other than India. Mirwaiz and Malik assured her “falsely” that they were striving hard to find her son. Mehbooba obliged her by writing a chit to the IG CID during PDP-led coalition government, Dr Ashok Bhan. Omar Abdullah, then Minister of State for External Affairs, told her that he would get Mohammad traced “in 10 days” but he did not keep his word even after becoming Jammu and Kashmir’s “Chief Minister” 10 years later.

Then Deputy Chief Minister, Mangat Ram Sharma, according to her, was the only politician who took pains in searching her son and wrote forceful letters to then union Minister for External Affairs, L K Advani, and AICC chief, Sonia Gandhi. All of them told her that they would contact people from Delhi to Katmandu and return her son to the agonized family. That, however, happened never.

Sonia Gandhi gave her a patient hearing and asked one of her aides to write down her facts and pull up all concerned. Zubeda was asked to return to 10-Janpath after 10 days. “When I visited there again on the due date, I was curtly sent back with the reply that Madam was not present at home. Later, I learned that she was very much there. Nobody bothered to keep his or her word”. Her meetings with incumbent union Home Minister, P Chidambaram, proved no less futile.

Parallel to her shuttling between the offices and residences of politicians and Government officials, Zubeda was cheated by touts at Delhi’s Tihar Jail. Two men assured her there that they would arrange her meeting with Ghulam Mohammad if she coughed up an amount of Rs one lakh. “I didn’t have enough cash. I disposed off two of my gold bangles and arranged the money. They took the cash and vanished”, she narrated. She was, nevertheless, all praise for the jail superintendent who got all the deteues paraded in an open orchard to the best of her satisfaction. “Ghulam Mohammad was not among them”.

During the thorny course of her unyielding search for the son, Zubeda’s husband has died. Two of her sons are still looking after their shrinking business---two shops selling Kashmir handicrafts and one more leather goods. Third of the siblings has left both Nepal and India and settled at Boston in USA, where, she said, he was working with a company. In 1995, Zubeda has shifted her residence to Gulbarga Colony in Barzulla area of Srinagar and the only male member in her family is her young domestic help. Alongwith her second son’s young wife, she has been shuttling between Srinagar, Delhi and Katmandu.

Officials in J&K Police refused to make comment on a case of ‘involuntary disappearance’ that had occurred in a foreign country. They still insisted that neither CID nor the local Police Station of Safakadal had anything adverse in their records about any member of the Sofi family of Shahkadal (Watalkadal) in Nawakadal area. Ghulam Mohammad’s story of “custodial disappearance”, as narrated by members of his family, has appeared not only in Urdu and English dailies in Srinagar but also leading newspapers and magazines, including ‘Nation Weekly’ in Katmandu.

Zubeda swore by the Holy Scripture that neither Ghulam Mohammad nor any other member of her family had any kind of connection with militancy or state agencies. According to her, Ghulam Mohammad had lived entire of his life in Mumbai and Katmandu while first working with the leading Kashmir handicrafts export firm, Cottage Industries Exposition (CIE) and later establishing his own business in Nepal. “He came just two or three times from 1975 to 2000 to Kashmir and stayed here briefly on occasion of a relative’s death or marriage. He would return quickly as he felt suffocated in the turbulent valley”, she asserted.

 According to Zubeda, Ghulam Mohammad, who lived in Katmandu alongwith wife Rosy, one young daughter and a son, besides three more brothers, was picked up by men of Nepalese Police (media believes they were from National Investigation Department) when he was enjoying a treat with a friend’s family on the festival of Gai Jatra on August 16^th, 2000. His younger brother, Wazir Ahmad, was picked up for another place and detained for 10 days. They were asked questions: why two of Kashmiri speaking militants had visited their shop and taken a tea. “It is a fact that two Kashmiri strangers, possibly militants, had appeared on Ghulam Mohammad’s shop and asked him about his father, who, according to them, knew their grandfather”, Zubeda admitted. She claimed that the duo neither made any shopping nor traded anything.

“I and my husband rushed to Nepal and after listening to details from Wazir and Mohammad’s friends, approached senior Police officials. “Everybody, from Home Minister Koirala to DGP, IGP and DIG remained tightlipped. Some of them later maintained that Mohammad had been handed over to the Indian High Commission. “Embassy officials told us repeatedly that they had passed Mohammad to the Indian Police. They advised us to contact Delhi Police. We even went to Supreme Court in Nepal. Judge expressed his helplessness and said that he would order a police raid if the family identified any person or place. We said how can we”, Zubeda revealed.

Back in Delhi, she shuttled between different offices, ministries and departments. Among others, she met then MP from Srinagar and union MoS for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah. “He assured me that he would recover my son within 10 days. Ten years on, he is still untraced through Omar Sahab is now Chief Minister”, she said. “All of them, including Advani, Jaswant Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, Ram Vilas Paswan, Farooq Abdullah, Mufti Sayeed cheated us. They told me lies and did not make a feeble attempt to trace my son”, Zubeda sobbed.

“I approached Geelani Sahab and requested him to highlight the disappearance of my son through a shutdown. He told us that he was not for enforcing strikes on the disappearance of Kashmiris in countries other than India. I begged before Mirwaiz Umar and Yasin Malik. They were equally inhuman, told me lies. Mirwaiz even came to Nepal for a conference. He assured me that he would take up the matter with the Nepalese, Indian and Pakistani authorities. He did never”, Zubeda narrated, bitterly. “They are concerned only about influential people, not the poor, ordinary Kashmiris”, she observed about the state’s mainstream and separatist politicians. “Most of them told me they would look into my complaint and recover my son within 10 days. They never kept their word”, she added.

Die-hard Zubeda approached NHRC with a petition on 24-07-2001. It was admitted on 18-09-2001 and case No: 135/9/2001-02 was registered. On 26-09-2001, NHRC issued a notice, asking senior officials of the respondent state to appear in person with a detailed report with three months. They neither appeared nor submitted a report in the last 11 years. “Even my son is a murderer, don’t I have a right to see his face, talk to him in jail”, Zubeda exclaimed in a fit of emotion, tears trickling down her cheeks. She complained that neither Amnesty International nor International Committee on Red Cross (ICRC) helped her find the missing son.

Meanwhile, Ghulam Mohammad’s daughter Mariam has reached her Class 12^th and son is a student of Class 10^th in a Katmandu school. They were just kids when Police wiped out shelter, shortly after a royal family member gunned down a dozen of his family at the nearby Palace.

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