The infamous Gulmarg land scam is apparently heading towards its logical conclusion. As the Union’s department of personnel and training (DoPT) has accorded sanction to prosecute the IAS officer of J&K Cadre Baseer Ahmad Khan for his alleged involvement in the said land scam, the decks are now cleared for presentation of challan against him in the court of Special Judge Anti-corruption.
The stand taken by the DoPT in case of Baseer Khan, presently posted as district development commissioner Kishtwar, would be communicated to the High Court on next date of hearing in the PIL.
In the infamous Gulmarg land scam case, all other alleged accused including the then Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Mehboob Iqbal have already been challaned on the directions of the Division Bench passed on August 28 last year. The challan against Khan, who was Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, when the scam came to fore, could not be produced for want of prosecution sanctions from the DoPT.
In its last order issued on July 19, 2013 the Division Bench comprising Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tashi Rabstan had granted four weeks time to the Union of India for sanctioning prosecution of alleged tainted officer in the Gulmarg land scam and DoPT has ensured compliance of the same within the stipulated time-frame by granting prosecution sanction.
Following violence in Kishtwar district and subsequent removal of Saleem Choudhary as deputy commissioner, the government transferred Baseer Khan from the Department of Panchayati Raj and posted him as new Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar.
Earlier, in compliance to the directions of the Division Bench passed on August 28, 2012, the state government had forwarded the papers of Baseer Khan to the DoPT for examination and issuance of necessary orders. However, the accord of prosecution sanction took time for want of certain clarifications sought by the DoPT after the initial examination of the documents.
On March 4, 2013, the Division Bench headed by Chief Justice M M Kumar directed the State Government to relieve Khan from the post of Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar on the ground that serious allegations were leveled against him in an application received in the office of Chief Justice. Accordingly, the Government while ordering reshuffle in civil administration posted Baseer Khan as Director Panchayats in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Baseer Khan has been inducted into the IAS cadre by the current government and posted on more sensitive positions like VC SDA and DC Srinagar.
-Bilal Handoo
