900 Govt Employees In Jammu And Kashmir Found Involved In Malpractices, Corruption

Legal action against the employees was recommended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, which investigates cases of corruption against its employees in the union territory.

Srinagar:Nine hundred government employees in Jammu and Kashmir faced legal action for corruption and malpractices after probe agencies recommended action against them. Jammu and Kashmir government's Commissioner Secretary for General Administration Department (GAD) M Raju said that 900 employees faced Regular Departmental Actions (RDAs) for their misconduct or indulging in malpractices.

"As many as 468 cases are currently active with 351 closed after taking different actions by the concerned departments and 81 cases are also pending in GAD for their final note to be appended on the same as per the law in vogue," Raju said. These employees belong to 36 government departments and have been found involved in corruption and malpractices at various times since 2014.

This legal action against the employees was recommended by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)- the government's probe agency which investigates cases of corruption against its employees in the union territory. Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary Atal Duloo said that employees found involved in malpractices and misconduct must be given exemplary punishment proportionate to their misdeeds.

"Such actions should act as a deterrent for others to repeat these offences," Dulloo said. Recently on January 5, the Jammu and Kashmir government accorded prosecution sanctions against 18 employees for their alleged involvement in corruption and misuse of official positions or caught red-handed by the ACB while demanding or accepting bribes.

Among these accused employees, five are Patwari working in the revenue department and belong to the districts of Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla and Anantnag.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his first media interaction after becoming the CM said that his government will maintain accountability of officials and the different government agencies will have a free hand to keep vigil on officials doing malpractices.