SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has told the Legislative Assembly that no in-service engineer facing a CBI, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), criminal case or Regular Departmental Action (RDA) was prematurely transferred, while disciplinary proceedings remain pending against several officials over alleged misconduct.
The Public Works (R&B) Department said 124 Executive Engineers and 402 Assistant Executive Engineers from its Civil and Mechanical wings had been transferred or adjusted in the recent past following promotions and in view of departmental requirements.
Responding to a starred question by MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania, the department said the adjustments were made to ensure the smooth functioning of works and included transfers. Junior Engineers, it added, are transferred or adjusted by the concerned Chief Engineers and Engineer-in-Chief in accordance with administrative requirements and the transfer policy under Government Order No. 861-GAD of 2010 dated July 28, 2010.
The department said engineers facing serious misconduct charges had been placed under suspension, while disciplinary proceedings or RDAs had been initiated in other cases. Their adjustment, it said, would depend on the outcome of the proceedings.
On allegations of an increase in single-tender allotments and arbitrary cancellation of tenders in the Pir Panjal Zone and Nowshera Division since 2024, the department said no such violation of prescribed procurement procedures or GFR-2017 had been reported.
It said only two tenders in the Pir Panjal Zone were allotted on a single-bid basis during 2025-26, both at the second call. According to the department, the allotments followed GFR-2017 and relevant Ministry of Road Transport and Highways guidelines, including adequate advertisement, sufficient time for bid submission, non-restrictive qualification conditions and assessment of quoted rates against prevailing market rates.
The department also said works under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in the Pir Panjal Zone, including the Nowshera area, had been allotted in accordance with GFR-2017, PMGSY guidelines and prescribed procurement procedures, with no violation warranting action reported.
Regarding Rural Engineering Wing (REW), Rajouri, the Government clarified that there is no Pir Panjal Zone or Nowshera Division under the organisation. It said no cases of single-tender allotment, arbitrary tender cancellation, duplicate funding, misrepresentation of RDD roads or execution of works without following the prescribed tendering process had been reported since 2024.
The Government also said Jammu and Kashmir Projects Construction Corporation (JKPCC) had not undertaken works or tendering after its in-principle merger with the Public Works (R&B) Department pursuant to Council Decision No. 60/05/23 dated June 21, 2023. Its works were transferred to the respective R&B divisions under standard operating procedures issued by the Administrative Department.
On cases concerning bitumen/tar and the Mughal Road project, the Government said the 2020 bitumen/tar matter remained under investigation by the ACB.
The case titled Government of J&K (Mughal Road Project) v. M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. & Others, Arb. App. No. 1/2026, is pending before the Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh at Jammu. Departmental arguments were concluded on September 17-18, 2026, while arguments on behalf of Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. were scheduled for September 26.
The department said it was pursuing the matter through counsel to protect the Government’s financial interests.
On alleged irregular appointments and other irregularities in JKPCC, the Government said fact-finding committees were constituted through Government Orders No. 1690-GAD of 2018 dated November 28, 2018 and No. 455-GAD of 2019 dated April 3, 2019. Their reports were accepted by the competent authority, after which appointment powers were vested with the Board and institutional safeguards were prescribed.
The Government also provided the current status of disciplinary proceedings against four former JKPCC officials.
In the case of former Deputy General Manager Harkewal Singh, the committee had recommended exoneration and dropping of RDA charges. The recommendation was approved by the competent authority, while the matter was placed before the JKPCC Board at its 100th meeting on September 2, 2026 and deferred for consideration at its next meeting.
Former General Manager Vikar Mustafa Shunthoo, who was named in FIR No. 10/2019, was subsequently exonerated by the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Srinagar. The High Court, through an order dated June 5, 2026 in WP(C) No. 493/2023, directed the release of his terminal benefits and unpaid salary within the stipulated period.
The RDA against former Manager Farooq Ahmad Wani, initiated in 2013, remains under process. The fact-finding committee had recommended his exoneration, observing that there was no loss to the exchequer or mala fide intention. However, a fresh one-member inquiry committee has been constituted in view of pending disciplinary documents.
In the case of former Managing Director Dalip Thusoo, an inquiry committee constituted under Government Order No. 353-PW(R&B) of 2025 dated November 27, 2025 recommended closure of the disciplinary proceedings. The recommendation was accepted, and the RDA and disciplinary proceedings were formally dropped and closed through Government Order No. 265-PW(R&B) of 2026 dated July 17, 2026.
