DD’s ex-DDG Rafeeq Masoodi booked for fraudulent appointments

Misuse of official position confirmed in illegal appointments as Secretary Cultural Academy

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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SRINAGAR, Dec 1: Upon confirmation of the misuse of his official position as Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, in the preliminary verification of illegal appointments, former Deputy Director General of Doordarshan Dr Rafeeq Masoodi has been booked in a criminal base by the State Vigilance Organisation.

“The Vigilance Organization has booked the then Secretary J&K Academy of Art Culture & languages Shri Rafiq Ahmed Masoodi and others in case FIR No.34/2015 P/S VOJ U/S 5(1)(d) r/w section 5(2) J&K P.C Act Svt. 2006 and section 120-B RPC into the allegations of illegal appointments of Orderlies, Chowkidars, Gardeners and Sweepers  in J&K Academy of Art Culture & Languages by abusing his official position in active criminal conspiracy with the beneficiaries and others in utter violation of rules and regulations during the year 2006”, an official release from Vigilance Organisation on Tuesday said.

The verification conducted reveals that one post of Gardener was advertised vide employment notice No: Adm-E/12/2002-04/3079-3113 Dated 22-09-2003. It was found that 19 candidates were appointed as Chowkidars, Orderlies, Gardeners and Sweepers whereas only one candidate out of these had applied on due date. The applications of other candidates for these posts were found without date and postal orders which was mandatory. 

The verification further revealed that the evaluation sheets prepared by the interview committee had some over-writing and name of one selected candidate did not figure in the evaluation sheets prepared by the interview committee. Even one of the candidates was not a permanent resident of J&K State.  It has been further observed that undue favours had been conferred upon the beneficiaries who had not even applied in time and did not fulfil the requisite formalities as per the advertisement.

“During verification, it has also been found that two posts of Junior Assistants were also advertised vide employment notice quoted above and against these posts 10 candidates have been appointed, whereas only three candidates had submitted their application forms with postal orders before cut-off date and rest of them had submitted their application forms without postal orders. Some of the candidates have even exceeded the maximum age limit. The  services of the candidates appointed illegally have subsequently been regularised and some were even promoted on higher posts”, the official release said.

“By acting in this manner, Shri Rafiq Ahmed Masoodi the then Secretary Academy of Art, culture and Languages in league with the beneficiaries has abused his official position and has thereby conferred undue benefit upon the beneficiaries. Investigation of the case has been taken-up”, it added.

After serving as Secretary of Cultural Academy for about three years on deputation from Prasar Bharti Broadcasting Corporation of India, Dr Masoodi was appointed as Director of Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar. Significantly, involving about two years of his posting as Director DDK Srinagar, CBI and DD’s Vigilance Department registered at least four FIRs and inquiries against Dr Masoodi. He is facing charges of corruption and misuse of official position in the organisation.

However, till his retirement from service last year, fate of all the FIRs and departmental vigilance inquiries against him was not known to anybody. Notwithstanding all these FIRs and inquiries, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad selected Dr Masoodi for the prestigious State Award (not in any specific category) which was later given away to him at an investiture ceremony by Governor N.N. Vohra in presence of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Governor and then Chief Minister ignored all the criminal cases registered against Masoodi besides eye-opening newspaper reports on his omissions and commissions as a senior officer of the Central and the State governments.

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