The high-profile female official booked by Anand Jain headed ACB, who made her fortune using her bureaucratic connections and patronage of a senior IAS officer, who is presenting serving outside J&K UT

Avinash Azad

In the process of undoing the ‘abuse’ of power of a senior IAS officer, who presently serving outside JK UT, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) under the leadership of Director Anand Jain, who is also IGP Jammu Zone, has booked a Physical Education Teacher (PET), who elevated to the post of Executive Director at Water Sports Centre, Sports Council.

Accused of Conspiracy and Favoritism in Bestowing Undue Benefits, Ms Bilkees Mir who is currently In-charge Executive Director Water Sports Centre, Srinagar under the patronage of a senior IAS officer, who was then administrative secretary of J&K Finance Department, throwing rule books into the bin, had bestowed undue favor to Ms Bilkees Mir.

“Verification was conducted by the ACB to look into allegations that Ms Bilkees Mir, who was appointed as Physical Education Teacher in relaxation of required technical qualification prescribed for the post on the condition that the appointee shall undergo BPEd course in her probation period which she did not undergo till date, reads an FIR, news agency Kashmir Dot Com, reported.

The FIR further reads that the verification conducted revealed that she was appointed initially as PET in terms of SRO 349 of 1998 in relaxation of required technical qualification prescribed for the requirement to the post on the condition that the appointee shall undergo BPEd course but she has not attained the degree till date, the news agency further reported. The inquiry conducted by the Bureau further revealed that she after joining the Youth Service and Sports Department as PET in the year 2009 was later deputed to J&K Sports Council Srinagar for a period of two years vide GAD order no 10-EDU(Tech) of 2013 date 09-07-2013, reads the FIR.

The verification conducted by the Bureau further revealed that she vide order no 423 of 2014 dated 09-07-2014 got promoted to the rank of Junior Coach, and her basic pay was enhanced from RS 4500-7000 GP 2400 to RS 9300-34800 with GP of RS 4200 without any concurrence from the government in gross violation of services, promotion rules. It has further come to the fore that the officers of Sports Council Srinagar promoted her dishonestly, despite having knowledge that she had not attained the prescribed qualification which was condition subsequently in the appointment order. Furthermore, in the year 2019, she was designated as In-charge Executive Director of Water Sports Centre by the Secretary Sports Council vide order no 387 of 2019 dated 22-05-2019 in her own pay and grade. It further surfaced during the course of verification that officers of the sports council after entering into a criminal conspiracy with each other bestowed undue benefit to the beneficiary thereby causing corresponding loss to the government exchequer in gross violation of rules and regulations governing the matter.

Investigation conducted by the Bureau further revealed that the order PET’s who were appointed along with her after fulfilling all the conditions of the appointment order are still working as in-charge PEM. The aforementioned acts of omission and commissions on the part of the officers of Sports Council Srinagar and the beneficiary constitute the commission of offenses punishable under section 5 (1) (d) r/w 5 (20 J&K Prevention of Corruption Act Svt. 2006 and sections 120-B RPC. Consequently, a case FIR no 23/2023 is registered in police Station ACB Srinagar and investigation of the case is entrusted to a DySp rank officer, reads the FIR.