Jailkhani to DD’s anchor: Good bye lady!

ADG bans tainted anchor’s entry into ‘Good Morning J&K’

‘DDK Srinagar officials kept me in the dark about her arrest and return to the morning show after her release on bail’

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 12: Doordarshan’s Additional Director General, Ashok Jailkhani, has banned a controversial female anchor’s appearance in Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) Srinagar’s morning show “Good Morning J&K” with immediate effect.

“I have taken cognizance of reports in Early Times and other newspapers and banned her booking in all of Doordarshan’s programmes with effect from today”, Jailkhani told Early Times from his office in New Delhi. His statement was confirmed with the fact that the anchor, currently in negative news on account of her booking by Police in a criminal matter involving a ruling National Conference (NC) leader, did not host today’s morning transmission of the Srinagar station. According to reports, hundreds of thousands of DD’s viewers in J&K and outside were keenly watching whether or not the controversial anchor would host the show today.

As reported in the last two issues of this newspaper, DDK Srinagar’s most sought-after female anchor was arrested by Police near Bagh-e-Shagoofa in the picturesque Nageen Lake in Hazratbal area in the evening on September 9^th and booked in a matter of “committing obscene act at a public place”. In FIR No: 110 under section 294 RPC, Police claimed to have arrested the female anchor after she was allegedly caught ‘red-handed’ with the NC leader and former MLC, Altaf Ahmed Kaloo.

Even as Police claims to have seized the protected politician’s Scorpio, a gun licence, three ATM cards and a half-consumed bottle of Hundred Piper Whisky, the FIR mentions that he escaped when the raid was conducted in a car parking area beside Royal Palace houseboat. After three rounds of questioning during her 24-hour-long custody, the accused woman obtained bail from through her counsel from a judicial magistrate.

In hours of her release, officials of DDK Srinagar sent her a vehicle and got her picked up from her residence in Harwan area in the morning on September 11^th and asked her to continue anchoring the daily morning show. To the surprise and dismay of thousands of viewers, she hosted the show as usual without any hesitation or embarrassment. According to reports available with the authorities, her appearance in the show generated a palpable wave of resentment against the Indian national broadcaster.

In his prompt reaction to an exclusive report published in today’s edition of this newspaper, DD’s ADG incharge North India, Ashok Jailkhani, asserted that his order of freezing all of the controversial anchor’s bookings had been implemented with effect from today. He claimed that he had been kept completely in the dark by DDK Srinagar Director, Shammi Shair, and other officials of the station with regard to the anchor’s arrest, Police custody, her release on bail and returning to the show yesterday.

“It was only when I was returning to New Delhi by a flight yesterday that some of my friends and colleagues called me by phone and revealed how the female anchor had been brought back to the show after her arrest and subsequent release on bail”, Jailkhani said. “Back in Delhi, when I read the newspapers, I realized that her entry into DD premises should be banned till she is cleared in the criminal matter booked by Police”. Jailkhani said that public perception and image of the television anchors could not be compromised in any circumstances.

Significantly, Jailkhani revealed that Mrs Shammi Shair had herself hosted the programme on September 10^th after telling him that the regular anchor would not turn up as her aunt had died overnight. “Being in Srinagar since last week in connection with the release of my book (on theatre) by Governor, I was myself the guest in Good Morning J&K on September 10^th. Shammiji told me that she had sent a vehicle to get the anchor but the lady would not turn up as her aunt had passed away last night. She said that she would herself reach the station and host the show. Shammiji reached on time and interviewed me while herself hosting the show. Even after the regular anchor had been brought back to the show on September 11^th and newspapers carried stories in the day’s editions about her own arrest, I was not told about it”, he disclosed, making it clear that he had no role in getting the controversial anchor back to the show yesterday.

ADG further refuted allegations that he had ever asked DDK Srinagar to promote three particular casual women artists, including the controversial anchor, by increasing their fees and frequency of bookings. “This is all rubbish”, Jailkhani dismissed the allegation and claimed that he did not know any of the three. According to certain reports, the three casual artists were conspicuously present during CEO Prasar Bharti Jawahar Sircar’s recent visit and stay at SKICC beyond midnight though none of them was supposed to be there. They had been also hanging on Prasar Bharti’s General Manager during a meeting of the Parliamentary delegation at EDI building near Pampore.

With the ADG banning the controversial anchor’s entry into DDK premises, Director DDK Srinagar, Shammi Shair, who is herself producer of the programme, hosted today’s episode of “Good Morning J&K”.

END  

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Altaf Kaloo wanted in another complaint

DIG among officials trying to subvert investigation

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

Srinagar, Sep 12: National Conference’s south Kashmir leader and former MLC, Altaf Kaloo, is wanted by Srinagar Police in another complaint filed against him two months ago by a woman. Police today filed an application seeking cancellation of Mr Kaloo’s bail that has been granted to him by Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar in a matter of ‘obscene act at a public place’ allegedly involving a female television anchor working for Doordarshan and the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

Authoritative sources revealed to Early Times that Srinagar District Police today submitted an application in the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, seeking cancellation of his bail that had been granted to him the other day in FIR No: 110 of Police Station Hazratbal. According to the FIR, Kaloo had been spotted in a compromising position with a female television anchor at a car parking near Bagh-e-Shagoofa at Nageen Lake in the evening on September 9^th.

Enlarged on bail, Kaloo had not yet submitted bail bond of Rs 20,000 that was a condition in the relief granted to him by the court. He has not either produced himself before SHO or concerned Investigation Officer to fulfill formalities and cooperate in the investigation. Sources said that someone informed Kaloo by telephone and he quickly arranged a lawyer to contest the Police application. In the wake of objections by his counsel, the application was placed for hearing on September 14^th.

Sources revealed that Kaloo was also wanted by Police in another complaint that had been filed against him two months back by a woman in Police Station Saddar in Srinagar. He is likely to be called for questioning in the next two days.

Sources made another sensational disclosure that Kaloo had escaped from the spot of Police raid in Nageen on September 9^th  with a licensed pistol in his hand. “It was only his good luck that he did not open fire. In that case, he could have even died in a possible encounter”, said a Police source.

Sources revealed that despite “green signal” from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and no political intervention, some of the Police officers were “desperately trying to subvert the investigation”. They, according to very responsible sources, include a DIG who has previously remained posted in south Kashmir and enjoyed intimate relationship with the NC leader.

Meanwhile, spokesman of the ruling National Conference (NC), Tanvir Sadiq, told Early Times that Altaf Kaloo had already been placed under suspension on the direction of the party’s Working President Mr Omar Abdullah. He said that Kashmir Province President, Ali Mohammad Dar, has accordingly shot off a notice to Mr Kaloo asking him to appear before him with an explanation with regard to his conduct within seven days, failing which the party would initiate necessary action in the matter without any further notification to the respondent.

END

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NC, Congress, PDP, CPM, Hurriyat silent but

MLA seeks action against DD officials

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Sep 12: Even as almost all the mainstream as well as separatist politicians have chosen to remain mute to the fresh sex scandal unfolding in the summer capital, independent MLA from Langet, Er Sheikh Abdul Rasheed has demanded action against the female television anchor, NC’s former MLC and DDK Srinagar officials involved in the scam.

In a statement today, MLA said that rather than dismissing the tainted anchor, DD authorities should had added salt to the injury by getting her back to host the morning show.

“There can be nothing more shameless and immoral than the fact that morally degraded authorities of Doordarshan allowed the said female anchor to carry on the programme Good Morning J&K within12 hours of the incident”, he added.

“It seems that Doordarshan Srinagar has become a den and base camp of immoral activities where, in the name of cultural activities, minds of Kashmiri youths are being poisoned with immoral and shameful acts”, he said and demanded stern action against the DD officials.  “Common masses have right to know that how the said TV anchor was allowed to host a program after this grave incident”, MLA asserted. He, nevertheless, appreciated role of J&K police in acting promptly “despite the huge pressure from the political and bureaucratic set up”.

END

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Ex-MLC, DD anchor try shamelessly to defend their act

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Sept 12: How shameless and defiant can a politician become even after being caught red handed with a cohort? An ex-MLC who held the prestigious and constitutional position of a law-maker some years back has not only started shamelessly moving around, but also defying the society by claiming he did nothing wrong.

A half empty bottle of 100 Pipers whisky, an abandoned Scorpio, three ATM cards, a .12 bore gun licence still lying in the possession of the police have also not shaken the conscience of the man who was some time back regarded as a gentleman to whom men, women and children would go seeking remedies to their problems.

As if this was not enough for the involved to drown themselves in shame, the DD anchor went on air the very next day she was given bail. As an affront to millions of its viewers, the DD authorities sent the woman an official car to take her out of the Ram Munshi Bagh police station as if she had gone there to receive some prestigious award.

Obscenity in a public place might legally be a small offence that attracts an imprisonment of just three months and a fine if proved, but its social import is tremendous. The exposure has caught the imagination of every morally conscious and law abiding citizen of the State as media reports flashed the news about the shameful act of the duo. In fact, not only the ex-MLC, but the DD anchor as well are in the public domain and condemnation of the act has to be universal and befitting.

State Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has already directed the police not to succumb to any pressure in the matter and take its investigations to a logical conclusion, but the legal process is always a protracted affair in our country. People get released on technicalities. Production of witnesses for an act like this is not always an easy affair. First of all nobody would like to be known to have stood as a mute witness to such a shameful act. Admission in a court of law that somebody stood watching the duo perform their obscene act in itself attracts a lot of social stigma. The worst punishment the perpetrators of such a shameful act can be given is to expose them in the public eye. After all, people are the final judges of who is doing right or wrong in the society.

That this incident has been widely condemned is proof enough that our society is still alive to its moral and social values. Nobody approves such an act and those indulging in it must receive the widest possible condemnation.

If politicians and men of influence continue to take the law for a ride then what hope is left that an ordinary citizen would feel safe in our society? It is essential that the involved persons be turned over to the process of law and charged for their obscene behavior. It is a different matter what is the ultimate fate of the case, but the people must know that howsoever influential the involved might have been, law is uniform for all violators.

END

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--------------‘Good morning J&K’----------

DD’s centre of fame turns into centre of shame!

Early Times Report

SRINAGAR, Sep 10: In a brazen outrage of the social and cultural sensibilities of the ten million people of Jammu and Kashmir state, Doodarshan’s Additional Director General incharge North India, Ashok Jailkhani, and Director of Doordarshan Kendra (DDK) Srinagar, Shammi Shair, have asked a tainted female anchor to continue to host the daily morning show ‘Good morning J&K’.

Even after the anchor, according to FIR No: 110 of Police Station Hazratbal, was caught red-handed in a comprising position with a former MLC of the ruling National Conference (NC) while consuming liquor at a public place at Nageen Lake in the evening on September 9^th, she appeared at DDK Srinagar today and hosted the one-hour multi-segment programme without an iota of shame.

According to well-placed informed sources, the female anchor called Director DDK Srinagar, Shammi Shair, over telephone in two hours of his arrest by Police late in the evening on September 9^th and revealed to her that she had been detained. The communication was all the more important as none other than DD’s Additional DG, Ashok Jailkhani, was scheduled to be the guest in the morning transmission on September 10^th. It was decided between the three that Mrs Shair herself would host the programme in absence of the regular anchor.

Thus, it was for the first time since the programme was launched these days last year that Director DDK Srinagar anchored Good Morning J&K (GMJK). Jailkhani, who happens to be a Kashmiri, had come all the way from New Delhi to organize a drama festival at SKICC besides getting his book on theatre released by Governor N N Vohra. During his presence in Srinagar, DDK Srinagar fell from its grace as the station’s most sought-after lady anchor was arrested by Police and a criminal matter of ‘making obscene act at a public place’ was filed against her and her alleged male partner under section 294 RPC.

With the pause of just one episode, the tainted female anchor appeared on the show as usual, evoking invectives and criticism and surprise from thousands of DD’s viewers. Interestingly, even the headlines from today’s local newspapers were a feature of the programme. Headlines were read out obviously while skipping the news of shame about the programme’s anchor.

“This has happened never before. Previously, one would die of shock, commit suicide or at least disappear from public appearance till the people would forget such an incident. Now, DD is bravely putting up a bold face!” was invariably the reaction from hundreds of callers to the Director and Producer of the GMJK, Mrs Shair, and other DD official while they were in a routine programme review meeting in the forenoon.

Enquiries revealed that in the evening on September 10^th, the detained anchor succeeded in getting bail from a judicial magistrate. Lodged at Women’s Police Station Ram Bagh, she was released and sent back to her home on an undertaking that she would cooperate with Police in the investigation, as and when required, and called. Immediately after her release, telephonic conversations ran into hours between senior officials of DD and the tainted anchor on the question whether or not to continue her as the host of GMJK.

Sources revealed that Additional DG, Mr Jailkhani, expressed his desire that the anchor be continued without gap as her “performance” had been always impressive. Consequently, Mrs Shair contacted the anchor, who lives in her neighbourhood in Harwan area, and asked her to come prepared to host the programme regularly and continuously from September 11^th. She was told that a vehicle, engaged by DDK Srinagar, would pick her up from her residence and drop her back at her desired location after signing off the show at 9.00 a.m. Thousands, or may be hundreds of thousands of DD’s viewers, were taken aback when they saw the same anchor hosting the show without any signs of nervousness on her ‘bold face’.

As exclusively reported in today’s issue of Early Times, this controversial female anchor has hosted almost all the high profile public and television shows, including those of Prime Minister, J&K Chief Minister and UPA Chairperson in the last eight years. While working as a Consultant with Hindustan Construction Corporation (HCC) during its Mughal Road execution, she has also anchored over a thousand of musical serials for DDK Srinagar and DD Kashir besides a number of the promotional programmes of the state Power Development Department and Public Health Engineering Department. 

Neither Mr Jailkhani nor Mrs Shair could be reached over telephone for their comments as calls to them failed to mature. However, some of their subordinate officials said on the condition of anonymity that the tainted anchor had been advised to continue hosting GMJK even if new guests refused to appear on the show and the old segments would have to be repeated.

Meanwhile, scores of artists, script writers, private producers and directors, who have been associated with DD for 10 to 35 years, expressed their dismay and shock over the way Mr Jailkhani and Mrs Shair had got the tainted anchor back to the show within 24 hours of her arrest in a criminal matter and asked her to continuously host the morning transmission.

“This was a centre of fame for decades since its establishment in 1972. It has created great personalities in the field of film and television production and broadcasting. It has now lost all of its sheen and credibility and become a centre of shame”, observed a famous actor and senior producer-director.

“Recently, a former Director of DDK Srinagar has been placed under suspension on account of his largescale loot of the public money. CBI is investigating two FIRs against the same official separately. Three deputy directors and producers are also facing serious allegations of favouritism and indulgence in corruption. To cap it all, the station’s key anchor has been trapped in a criminal matter that is threatening to surface as another sex scandal. Who would like to visit this station or view its programmes?, asked another actor-director whose drama serials once broke all records of popularity of a television programme.

END 

After TV anchor, NC leader too gets bail

CM asks Police to ‘firmly’ proceed with the investigation

Early Times Report

SRINAGAR, Sep 11: National Conference (NC) leader and former Member of Legislative Council (MLC), Altaf Ahmad Wani alias Altaf Kaloo, who has been booked by Police in a matter of “causing obscene act at a public place”, alongwith a female television anchor, has been granted bail by a judicial court in Srinagar.

Informed sources revealed to Early Times that Altaf Kaloo approached the court of Principal District and Sessions Judge Srinagar, Mr Mohammad Shafi Khan, through his counsel and sought anticipatory bail. In his application filed under section 497-A Criminal Procedure Code, the petitioner expressed apprehension of his arrest by Police.

The judge heard the petitioner’s counsel and issued notice to Police through public prosecutor in the evening on Monday, seeking a detailed report in the matter on September 14^th. “SHO concerned, in the event of his arrest, shall release him on bail on furnishing bail bonds in the amount of Rs 20,000 provided he is not involved in any offence which entails punishment for more than three years or which is triable by a special judge or a designated court”, said the Principal District and Session’s order of anticipatory bail in favour of the petitioner.

“However, he shall cooperate with the investigating agency during the period”, it added. The matter has been listed for hearing on September 14^th.

Early Times learned from well-placed authoritative sources that Police would strongly contest the anticipatory bail on September 14^th with a host of its arguments, including the one that the petitioner’s freedom of movement could influence the witnesses and thus hamper the investigation. Sources said that no less a top authority than Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself today made it clear to Police that no intervention or pulls and pressures from his party or government be entertained.

“Chief Minister has conveyed that law would take its own course, asking Police to firmly investigate the matter”, said an official source. He asserted that Police would contest the bail and get the protected politician arrested as a manhunt had been launched to detain him wherever spotted. However, there was no possibility of his arrest in the next three days and Police would only perform a formality of calling the accused for his presentation and cooperation in the investigation.

Following obtaining anticipatory bail, Altaf Kaloo started his efforts of getting his belongings, including his seized Scorpio JK01N-6565, released from Police custody. However, he did not succeed in it immediately. Thereafter, he arranged another Scorpio of the same colour and make, bearing registration No: 6940, and drove all the way from Srinagar to Anantnag last evening even as Police claimed to have launched manhunt to arrest him. He stayed for the night at his officially allotted residence at Khannabal, in close vicinity of the residences of DC, SSP and DIG of Anantnag.

In the forenoon today, a Police agency provided additional escort of one Tata-407 and a Gypsy to the NC leader who was seen waving triumphantly to people while touring his constituency and driving to his village in Aeshmuqam. In the evening, Kaloo returned to Anantnag in the same Scorpio, No: 6940, escorted by Policemen in three vehicles. Again, he is staying at his Khannabal residence.

Efforts to reach Kaloo for his comments and his reaction to the allegations leveled against him in FIR No: 110 of 2012 under section 294 RPC, failed as his mobile phone was either switched off or ‘not reachable’ for most of the time.

END

DD anchor caught red-handed with NC’s ex-MLC

Couple stayed in houseboat for two nights; protected politician escapes but Police seizes his Scorpio, gun licence, ATM cards and a bottle of whisky

Early Times Report

Srinagar, Sep 10: Apparently a fresh sex scandal, involving a ruling National Conference (NC) leader, known for his proximity to the party top brass, and a female anchor of Srinagar Doordarshan, who has stage-anchored Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi’s public shows, has surfaced last evening in Hazratbal area of the summer capital. While as the anchor of DD’s daily morning show has been reportedly caught red-handed and arrested for “obscene act at a public place”, Police have registered a criminal matter and launched manhunt for the former Member of Legislative Council (MLC) who is said to have escaped from the spot.

Informed sources revealed to Early Times that a party from Police Station Nageen conducted a raid over a complaint at a car parking near Bagh-e-Shagoofa at the famous picturesque Nageen Lake last evening at around 7.30 p.m. and took into custody a 42-year-old woman. Her alleged partner, who happens to be a leader of the ruling NC, managed to escape from the spot. However, Police seized his Scorpio, bearing registration No: JK01N-6565, alongwith his gun licence of a .12 bore rifle, three ATM cards, a pair of shoes and a half-filled bottle of Hundred Piper whisky.

“We have arrested the female and launched a manhunt to arrest the male who managed to escape. As they were in a comprising position and taking liquor at a public place, we have filed FIR No: 110 of 2012 dated 10-09-2012 under section 294 RPC at Police Station Nageen”, one of the investigating officials confirmed to Early Times. He said that Police was on the job to arrest the escapee with the help of questioning of his PSOs, contacts, acquaintances and relatives.

According to the official, the escapee male was married and the female, taken into custody, was a divorcee. Asked if a medical test or a liquor consumption test had been conducted on the detained female, the official said that neither of the two was required in this matter. He said that the investigation was underway in light of the female’s disclosure and a corroboration that the couple had stayed for two previous nights at Royal Palace houseboat, anchored yards away from the car parking.

Section 294 of Ranbir Penal Code is invoked and slapped on “whoever, to the annoyance of others, does any obscene act in any public place or sings, recites or utters any obscene songs, ballads or words in or near any public place”. It is non-bailable and seeks “punishment with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months or with fine or with both”.

SSP Srinagar, Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari, could be reached over telephone but he refused to make comment and answer questions on the subject. He also refused to confirm or deny reports that Police was “under tremendous pressure to hush up the case”. “I have to say nothing”, SSP maintained.

The detained television anchor, who has been anchoring small screen shows, as well as high profile government functions, was placed in custody of Women’s Police Station Rambagh after three rounds of sustained questioning. Later, this evening she was released on the bail granted to her by a judicial magistrate.

The FIR identifies the escapee as Altaf Ahmad Wani alias Altaf Kaloo of Aeshmuqam, Anantnag, who is holding a party position and has functioned as NC’s MLC from April 2009 to April 2011. Even after he failed to get a fresh ticket in Legislative Council elections in 2011, he is known for his proximity to the NC’s top brass. In the Assembly elections of 2008, he was NC’s candidate from Pahalgam but lost to PDP’s Rafi Ahmad Mir with a deficit of about 14,000 votes.

Reportedly a favourite of the incumbent Director of Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, Shammi Shair, the accused woman has been regularly anchoring the station’s daily morning show “Good Morning J&K”. She has anchored hundreds of DD’s programmes besides over 2,000 musical serials of DDK Srinagar and ‘DD Kashir’ in the last 10 years. Among the high-profile political and government functions, she has acted as anchor for a number of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s and AICC President Sonia Gandhi’s public shows in Srinagar. It was she who anchored Mrs Sonia Gandhi’s 10,000-strong show which was organized by Social Welfare Department, School Education Department and then Chairman of State Social Welfare Advisory Board, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, during Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s regime at SKICC in 2006.

Enjoying intimate relationship with a number of J&K’s politicians, bureaucrats and Heads of Departments (HoDs), and extensively promoted by a former Director of Information, the accused has also anchored nearly 400 episodes of Omar Abdullah government’s top promotion programme, titled “Aks-e-Parwaaz”, running six-days-a-week on DD’s all stations in J&K and sponsored by the state Information Department.

END

Nearly two dozen vehicles drawn illegally from a number of J&K Dy CM’s subordinate departments by him and his personal staff, which received petrol and diesel worth Lakhs of Rupees from Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) instead of Secretary Housing and Urban Development.

S No:	Vehicle number	Make	Drawn from which Department
1	Chassis: 73773	Scorpio  BP	Security Wing of JK Police
2	JK02AB-9572	Gypsy (Pilot)	Security Wing of JK Police
3	JK02AA-3321	Gypsy (Pilot)	Security Wing of JK Police
4	JK02AE-9368	Gypsy (Pilot)	State Motor Garage
5		Ambassador car	State Motor Garage
6		Ambassador car	State Motor Garage
7	JK02AM-8445	Tata Safari	Under investigation
8	JK02AE-7477	Scorpio	Under investigation
9	JK02AA-3381	Gypsy (Pilot)	Under investigation
10	JK02V-8732	Gypsy	Under investigation
11	JK02U-8712	Bolero	Jammu Municipal Corporation
12	JK02AH-1001	Ambassador car	Jammu Municipal Corporation
13	JK02AF-3044	Ambassador car	Srinagar Municipal Corporation [With Commissioner Secretary UD]
14	JK01K-0729	Ambassador car	Under investigation (Kashmir)
15	JK01K-3330	Ambassador car	Under investigation (Kashmir)
16	JK02K-9720	Ambassador car	Under investigation
17	JK02U-8598	Ambassador car	Under investigation
18	JK02AE-9362		Under investigation
19	JK01J-3710		Under investigation in Kashmir
20	JK01J-3729		Under investigation in Kashmir
21	JK02AP-2980	Ambassador car	Under investigation
22	JK02V-8732	Ambassador car	Under investigation
23	JK02V-3928	Gypsy	Under investigation
24	JK02S-1598	Bolero	J&K Police
25	JK02 N-9627	Under verification	J&K Police

J&K officials keep over two dozen vehicles at illegal disposal of Dy Chief Minister, his staff

Why Govt makes State Accountability Commission, State Information Commission, State Vigilance Organisation and Crime Wing of J&K Police dysfunctional and fails to find men for State Vigilance Commission that has been existing on papers since February 15^th, 2011.

OFFICE OF LOOT: With total lack of accountability, a number of Ministers in Omar Abdullah’s Govt have been committing flagrant misuse of their official position and looting the state exchequer. Topping them all appears to be the Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, who is holding portfolios of Housing & Urban Development. Believe it or not, nearly two dozen government vehicles have been placed at Dy CM’s disposal by his subordinate departments, namely Jammu Municipal Corporation, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Jammu Development Authority, Srinagar Development Authority, Lakes & Waterways Development Authority Srinagar, Urban Local Bodies Jammu, Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, in addition to the official vehicles provided by State Motor Garages and J&K Police Security Wing.

A number of these illegally provided vehicles are officially shown to be in possession and use of Additional Secretary Mr Salmani, Ministers Special Assistant and KAS officer of 1999 batch Dr Raj Kumar Thappa and three “PROs” namely Forest Guard Keval Sharma, Higher Secondary Lecturer Prabhoo Singh and Vijay Kumar. Scandalously, petrol and diesel of all these vehicles is being provided by Jammu Municipal Corporation in brazen violation of Govt Order No: 1123-GAD of 1997 Dated 11-07-1997 that makes it clear that the Ministers’ vehicles are to be provided and maintained by State Motor Garages but POL has to be provided by his department, in this case H&UD Department.

Lakhs of Rupees are being drawn on account of fuel charges alone. As many as 414 requisitions make it clear that the Minister’s Personal Section and drivers have drawn petrol and diesel worth just Rs 1,914 in Jan 2009 and same has been hiked to Rs 41,057 in March 2010, Rs 49,460 in Nov 2010, Rs 56,142 in Dec 2010 and a stupendous Rs 65,785 in Apr 2012. Most of these vehicles have plied in Minister’s constituency of Khour.

For names and designations of all the officers involved in this loot and scoot of the taxpayers’ money, besides details of each vehicle provided, and more startling disclosures of corruption and misuse of official position in high offices watch out exclusively this blog soon.

http://aafayyaz.blogspot.com

Kashmir is and will always remain India’s integral part: Farooq

‘Delhi would never approach Hurriyat with a begging bowl’

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Sep 8: In sharp contrast to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s extra-cautious approach vis-à-vis Kashmiri separatists, National Conference patriarch and union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah today asserted that New Delhi would never approach Hurriyat with a begging bowl to get it on board.

“Hurriyat will have to initiate the dialogue rather than waiting for Government of India’s invitation card. Let it be clear to them that New Delhi would never approach them with a begging bowl”, Dr Abdullah told mediapersons after paying tributes to his parents on occasion of the  30^th death anniversary of the NC’s founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at his mausoleum at Hazratbal. His terse reaction came out when a reporter wanted to know how the NC supremo viewed the Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s expression of “willingness” to enter into a dialogue with Delhi. 

In his typical style, Dr Abdullah was quick to make it clear that a political resolution was the only way out though, according to him, “Kashmir is and always continue to be an integral part of India”. “It can never be separated from India”, he asserted.

Regarding the Indo-Pakistan foreign minister level talks, Dr Abdullah expressed hope that the two countries would initiate some important confidence building measures which would eventually pave way for Kashmir’s resolution. He said that Kashmir issue had to be resolved in the interest of peace and stability in the Sub-continent.  

Dr Abdullah said that tireless efforts and leadership of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah had galvanized the oppressed people of the State to rise against autocracy and injustice. He said the visionary approach, which the NC founder adopted, won him appreciation and accolades not only during his lifetime but also for all time to come.

“Sheikh Sahab was a great revolutionary. When the Sub-continent was engulfed in communal flames around the Partition, it was only his resolve and determination that protected Kashmir’s secular ethos and communal harmony. That made Mahatma Gandhi see a ray of hope in Valley, contrary to a communal flare up in rest of the Sub-continent”, Dr Abdullah said on the occasion.

Earlier, referring to today’s lead item in Early Times, NC’s top brass mobilized its cadres throughout cadres over telephone between, asking hundreds of the party workers to reach Hazratbal for a remembrance meeting. Informed sources, corroborated by three District SSPs, revealed that the Central leadership in Srinagar made desperate calls to district functionaries from 0630 hours to 0730 hours to get up urgently and reach Hazratbal for a public meeting at Sheikh’s mausoleum. No such mobilization had been made till the wee hours today.

Most of the party’s senior and medium-rung leaders, including a number of Ministers and legislators, former legislators besides Dr Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attended the congregational Fatiha Khwani at Hazratbal amid tight security arrangements.

Among others, Chief Minister visited the mausoleum and paid floral tributes to his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, and grandmother, Begam Akbar Jehan, both buried in a public park reclaimed on the banks of Dal Lake beside the picturesque Naseem Bagh and Kashmir University campuses. Omar prayed for J&K’s peace and prosperity.

In his message, Chief Minister described Sheikh Sahib as an architect of the multi-religious, multi-cultural state and a secular and democratic polity. While underscoring significance of Sheikh Abdullah’s struggle and sacrifices for Jammu and Kashmir state, Omar Abdullah said that welfare and public empowerment was the National Conference founder’s cherished desire and goal and he made all the possible endeavours in this direction.

“Sheikh Sahib propagated and nurtured amity, brotherhood and mutual trust between various sections of the society and lived as a torch-bearer of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian unity. His slogan of ‘Sher-i-Kashmir Ka Kya Irshad, Hindu-Muslim-Sikh Ittihad’ still reverberates in the hearts and minds of people and its resonance is equally felt in the mountains, valleys and planes of Jammu and Kashmir”, he said and vowed his commitment for strengthening this preaching and teaching of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

Omar said that Sheikh Abdullah laid the edifice of ‘Naya Kashmir’ with a clear vision of public empowerment and involvement in the formulation and implementation of development plans in accordance with the aspirations of the people and requirements of the areas. He said that his government would put in all efforts to work for realizing the progressive, peaceful and economically prosperous New Jammu and Kashmir as envisioned by Sheikh.

Omar said that the best way of paying tributes to Shiek Sahab was to follow his footprints and work together for achieving peace and prosperity for the State and strengthening the cherished secular democratic values advocated and propagated by the NC founder.

He said that the foundation laid by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah to universalize education and healthcare facilities in the State and uplift the downtrodden sections of the society by upgrading their socio-economic and education status clearly describes the love Sheikh Sahib possessed for the common people especially belonging to poorer sections of the society.

Chief Minister said that the concept of single line administration and devolution of power from central level to grass roots introduced and implemented by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah constitutes the necessary pillar in good-governance and public empowerment. He said that the revolutionary measure of land to tiller taken by Sheikh Sahib had helped a lot to fill up the gap between the haves and the have-nots and built a society on the principle of equality and justice.

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