Terminated from service the Prosecuting Officer of Jammu and Kashmir was involved in smuggling drugs despite getting repeated warnings from the higher-ups.
The Home Department of the Union Territory Government on Thursday sacked the erring Prosecuting Officer after he was allegedly caught carrying a contraband substance, saying he violated the service rules.
An order to this effect was issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Raj Kumar Goyal.
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 service rule of J-K government employees (conduct) rules, it said.
An inquiry found him guilty and was dismissed from service
After the Prosecuting Officer was arrested twice, an inquiry was ordered against him and he was allowed to reply to the show cause served to him within 15 days
Instead of responding to the show cause notice ibid, the delinquent officer vide his reply dated 10.01.2023, inter-alia, stated that he should be given more time to respond to the show cause notice. The reply submitted by the delinquent officer was examined in consultation with the DG, Prisons, J&K and it was observed that the delinquent officer was attempting to evade the penalty by narrating misleading facts.
It was further observed that the facts narrated in the reply ibid had already been considered by the Inquiry Officer and the delinquent officer had failed to give any cogent reason, warranting consideration for imposing a lesser penalty.
"An inquiry found him guilty and he was dismissed from service, Goyal said in the order.
"The report of the inquiry along with all other relevant details were placed before the competent authority for consideration and decision. The authority approved the report submitted by the Inquiry Officer and directed imposition of a penalty upon the delinquent officer Waseem Ahmed Qureshi, Prosecuting Officer, which is dismissal from service of the State which ordinarily disqualifies from future employment", the order read.
The official was also issued with show cause notice in connection with a penalty imposed on him, which he failed to respond resulting in dismissal from service as well as a disqualification for future employment in Government, it said.
"Therefore, in terms of the Jammu and Kashmir civil services (Classification, Control & Appeal) rules, 1956, Waseem Ahmed Qureshi, Prosecuting Officer, is dismissed from service, with immediate effect, which will also disqualify him from future employment," Goyal said in the order.
