Caught red-handed while taking a bribe from a murder accused in the border district of Rajouri, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Tuesday dismissed a Senior Prosecuting Officer.
Although the Senior Prosecuting Officer was fighting the case from the police side, he allegedly struck a deal with the murder accused to weaken the case to ensure that the accused would be acquitted.
According to sources a chargesheet has already been filed against the accused in the murder case and the investigating team of the police has already collected some convincing evidence against the accused.
The officer was approached by family members of the accused and he agreed to get the murder accused acquitted in exchange for money.
"He was collecting the first installment of the bribe", sources said and added that the family of the murder accused had promised that the remaining amount would be paid after the acquittal.
The Government said the officer in question failed to maintain absolute integrity and acted in a manner unbecoming of a government employee.
According to an order issued by the government, the Senior Prosecuting Officer Aijaz-Ul-Hassan was dismissed for taking a Rs 2 lakh bribe from the accused while he was posted as Senior Prosecuting Officer in the court of Judicial Magistrate 1st Class in Thanamandi.
"The officer failed in maintaining absolute integrity and acted in a manner unbecoming of a government employee, thereby violating the provisions contained in J&K Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971", remarked the Government order.
"The act on the part of the officer is tantamount to a violation of Rule 3 of J&K Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971", the order reads.
"Therefore, in terms of Rule 30(viii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, Aijaz-Ul-Hassan, Senior Prosecuting Officer is dismissed from service, with immediate effect, which will also disqualify him from future employment", reads the order.
Earlier another Prosecuting Officer was terminated for his involvement in drug trafficking
This second incident of terminating the services of the Prosecuting Officer was terminated when his involvement was established in drug trafficking.
Waseem Ahmad Qureshi, the then Assistant Public Prosecutor in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, Ukhral, Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir while on his way to Rajouri on May 4, 2020, was found to have a contraband substance by a police party. Subsequently, a case was registered against him and he was placed under arrest, as per the order.
He was attached to the office of Deputy Director, Prosecution Ramban in the year 2021 after he was arrested.
He was again arrested on 10.02.2022 by Jammu Police for his alleged involvement in a case FIR No. 18/2022 u/s 8/12/22/25/29 of NDPS Act registered in Police Station, Nowabad for possession of the contraband substance. The officer here again acted in a manner, unbecoming of a public servant and has also failed to maintain absolute integrity thus violating the service rule of J-K government employees (conduct) rules.
He was ultimately dismissed from the services in February this year.
Regional Director, Survey and Land Records Suspended
In another case, the Jammu and Kashmir government suspended the Regional Director, Survey and Land Records, Anantnag, pending enquiry into his conduct.
Abdul Hafiz Shah, JKAS, has been placed under suspension, with immediate effect in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956.
"Pending inquiry into his conduct, Abdul Hafiz Shah, JKAS, Regional Director, Survey & Land Records (ex-officio Settlement Officer), Anantnag, is hereby placed under suspension, with immediate effect in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Rules, 1956", reads an order, issued by the government.
"During the period of his suspension, he shall remain attached in the office of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir", reads the order further.
