Suspended I/c Senior Prosecuting Officer Aijaz-Ul-Hassan had abusing his official position accepted a bribe of Rs2 lacs from murder accused
Avinash AzadT
The Jammu and Kashmir Government today terminated the services of Senior Prosecuting Officer, Aijaz-Ul-Hassan, for accepting Rs 2 lac bribe from murder accused persons, during his posting in the Court of Judicial Magistrate Thanamandi in the district Rajouri.
“Already under suspension, Aijaz-Ul-Hassan, I/c Senior Prosecuting Officer dismissed from Government Services in terms of Rule 30 (viii) of the J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956”, Government Order No. 580-Home of 2023, dated 28/11/2023 reads.
“Aijaz-Ul-Hassan, while being posted as Senior Prosecuting Officer in the Court of Judicial Magistrate 1st Class Thanamandi, demanded and accepted Rs. 2 lacs as a bribe from Moulvi Mushtaq Ahmad son of Mohd. Iqbal resident of Panaid, Tehsil Kotranka for helping him in connivance with ASI Mohammad Shabir, Reader Police Station, Darhal (associated with the Investigation of the case) and not getting him arrayed as an accused in case FIR No. 29/2014 U/S 302/24/201 RPC, registered against the father, brother and sister of Moulvi Mushtaq Ahmed Imam in Hanfia Masjid, Zuber Abad, Sunjwan Road Jammu”, the termination order reads.
The officer thus failed to maintain absolute integrity and acted in a manner unbecoming of a government employee, thereby violating the provisions contained in J&K Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971. The said act on the officer’s part is tantamount to a violation of Rule 3 of J&K Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971. Vide communication dated 24.12.2021, the delinquent officer submitted his response to the charge sheet ibid; but upon examination found unsatisfactory and accordingly, in terms of Rule 33 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, an inquiry was initiated against the delinquent officer, vide Government Order No. 178-Home of 2022 dated 16.06.2022; and, the Inquiry Officer appointed Government Order ibid in his report submitted to the Government, vide No. Home/AS/PS/2022/30 dated 25.07.2022 established the charges framed against the delinquent officer.
The Inquiry Officer had recorded the following findings, based on the statements recorded during the course of the inquiry and the documents that have been brought on record, the charge against the charged officer regarding demanding Rs 2 lacs as a bribe from Moulvi Mushtaq Ahmed for helping him in connivance with ASI Shabir Ahmed, the then Reader MO Police Station, Darhal for not arraying him as an accused in case FIR No. 29/2014 P/S, Darhal, could not be established.
However, in the basic complaint dated 01.10.2014 filed before Vigilance Organisation, the complainant had in unambiguous terms stated that the delinquent officer had demanded an amount of Rs. 3 lacs from the complainant for not arraying them including the complainant as an accused in case FIR No. 10/2017 P/S VOJ (now ACB). The demand after negotiations was decreased to Rs 2.10 Lacs.
The other aspect forming part of the charge regarding the acceptance of Rs. 2 lacs as a bribe from Moulvi Mushtaq stands established to the extent that the charged officer had agreed to return the amount received by him from Moulvi Mushtaq in the compromise meeting and subsequently, returned Rs. 1 lac through the account of Ct. Istikhar Ahmed on 29.06.2014.
The report of the Inquiry along with all other relevant details were placed before the Competent Authority for consideration and decision. The Competent Authority approved the report submitted by the Inquiry Officer and directed for the imposition of a penalty, provided in Rule 30(viii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules. 1956, upon the delinquent officer namely, Aijaz-Ul-Hassan, I/c Sr. Prosecuting Officer, i.e. dismissal from service of the State which ordinarily disqualifies from future employment.
