SRINAGAR: Nearly a month after a video of an alleged altercation with senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan during an official virtual meeting triggered widespread criticism, JKAS officer Beenish Wani has spoken out, expressing hope that the ongoing proceedings will result in justice without bias or lobbying.
In a fresh self-recorded video message shared on Instagram, Wani thanked people for standing by her and extending support during the controversy. She said she was keeping her fingers crossed and hoped that justice would be delivered soon, without any bias or lobbying.
“Hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” she said, reflecting her expectations as the matter continues to remain under scrutiny.
The controversy dates back to October 14, when Wani, a 2015-batch JKAS officer posted as Assistant Director, Employment and Counselling Centre, Ganderbal, was involved in a heated exchange with Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer who was then serving as Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department.
The exchange took place during a virtual review meeting concerning Mission YUVA, the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s youth employment and entrepreneurship initiative. The disagreement reportedly centred on the role of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
A screen recording of the meeting subsequently surfaced on social media, drawing attention to the manner in which the two officers interacted. In the footage, Ranjan was allegedly heard shouting at Wani, using objectionable language and asking her to remain silent. He was also heard directing officials to prepare suspension and dismissal orders after she objected to his language.
The video triggered a wider debate within the administrative establishment, particularly over professional conduct and the treatment of officers in official workplaces.
Government orders formal inquiry
Two days after the incident, on October 16, the Jammu and Kashmir Government ordered a formal inquiry through Government Order No. 1654-JK(GAD).
Senior IAS officer Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department, was appointed as the Inquiry Officer, while Amit Vermani, Additional Secretary in the General Administration Department, was designated as the Presenting Officer. The inquiry panel was given 15 days to submit its findings.
The recording also became the subject of an authenticity dispute. While departmental sources initially suggested that the clip could have been edited or artificially generated, Wani and members of the JKAS fraternity rejected those suggestions and maintained that the recording was genuine.
Administrative and political fallout
The incident prompted a one-day pen-down strike by the All Jammu and Kashmir Junior Scale KAS Association, which sought a public apology and safeguards against harassment and retaliatory action in the workplace.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also took up the matter with the Chief Secretary and directed that Wani should not face any retaliatory action.
The National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the incident, while political leaders, including Mehbooba Mufti, Tariq Hamid Karra and Ravinder Raina, condemned the alleged conduct and called for accountability.
Wani’s latest message has brought the matter back into focus, with the officer publicly expressing hope for an impartial outcome.
