District Magistrate Rajouri has placed under suspension Assistant Commissioner (AC) Panchayat following a complaint alleging hurting of religious sentiments of a community.
The senior Jammu and Kashmir Administrative (JKAS) officer was placed under suspension after one of his subordinates lodged a written complaint against him and charged him with hurting religious sentiments.
"This office has received a complaint that AC Panchayat Abdul Rashid Kohli has made some objectionable remarks about a particular religion," District Magistrate Rajouri Vikas Kundal said in an order issued on Tuesday.
"It is reported that Mr. Kohli said these objectionable words while having lunch at Blue Moon Restaurant with his four other subordinates during office hours," the order reads, adding, "this conduct of the officer is not only a violation of service conduct rules but also an issue of hurting religious sentiments of other community and has the potential of creating law and order problem within the district."
Therefore, keeping in view the facts, the District Magistrate placed AC Panchayat under suspension with immediate effect.
ADDC Rajouri asked to conduct an inquiry
The District Magistrate further announced that a committee headed by the Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) Rajouri Pawan Parihar shall conduct the inquiry. The ADDC has been asked to submit the report of the inquiry within fifteen days.
Complaint filed by Panchayat Secretary asked AC
The complaint against Assistant Commissioner Panchayat was filed by Panchayat Secretary, who along with other colleagues had gone for lunch with the officer. In his complaint filed before Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, the complaint alleged that AC passed derogatory remarks against his religion in presence of other colleagues.
