Srinagar, Oct 16: Senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan has courted controversy after he used abusive language against a woman JKAS officer and threatened to recommend her dismissal from service.
The heated argument, which came to light through a purported video, took place between Ranjan and Assistant Director Beenish Wani over the role of National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) during a review meeting on Mission YUVA.
Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer posted as Administrative Secretary Labour and Employment in J&K government, repeatedly interrupted Beenish, Assistant Director, employment and counselling centre Ganderbal, when she was briefing the meeting about the targets achieved by her office.
“Why do you need NRLM? If NRLM had to do this work, why would I give it to AD (Assistant Director)? Why would the CS (chief secretary) give it to me? He would give it to MD (Managing Director) NRLM,” he asked.
Beenish, a 2015-batch JKAS officer who was attending the meeting via video conferencing, tried to explain that NRLM was used as a helping agency.
However, Ranjan allegedly shouted at her and asked her to “shut up”. He asked the officer if she would sit silent or not.
The woman officer said she needs to explain her position but the IAS officer asked her to stop talking. He also allegedly called her “bloody shit”.
“I can always talk like that. I am your boss, stupid,” Ranjan said.
When the female officer said he cannot call her “shit”, Ranjan told another female officer present in his room to type a suspension order for Beenish.
“It is fine, you can suspend,” Beenish said.
As Ranjan continued his verbal tirade against the junior officer, she went on to allegedly say “to hell with you”.
The IAS officer asked his subordinate to record the words mentioned by Beenish in the suspension order. “Record this and write to the GAD how she should be thrown out of the service,” he said.
The incident triggered strong uproar and outcry with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, political leaders, employees leaders and civil society members strongly criticizing the IAS officer.
After the uproar, J&K Government ordered an in-depth inquiry into alleged misconduct by Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Administrative Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, with Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS), Assistant Director, Employment, Ganderbal.
According to an order issued by the General Administration Department, Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer to investigate the matter, which has been reported in print and electronic media.
The government has directed the Inquiry Officer to submit her report within 15 days from the date of issuance of the order.
The order further states that Amit Vermani, JKAS, Additional Secretary to the Government in the General Administration Department, will act as the Presenting Officer in the matter.
Meanwhile, National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of a viral video allegedly showing senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan verbally abusing, humiliating and threatening a woman officer.
The Commission, in a statement, said its chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, had written to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, seeking verification of the video and an impartial inquiry into the allegations.
The NCW has called for appropriate disciplinary and legal action if the allegations are established.
It has also sought safeguards against workplace harassment, victimisation and professional retaliation, besides protection and support for the woman officer.
The Commission has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the Chief Secretary within seven days.
“Every woman officer is entitled to a safe, respectful and dignified workplace,” the NCW said, stressing that abuse of authority and workplace humiliation must be addressed with utmost seriousness.
Ranjan is facing CBI probe into his role in the arms licence case while a disproportionate assets case was also registered against him and his family members last year.
Ranjan, who was earlier the deputy commissioner of Kupwara, is under the scanner in the agency’s probe into irregularities in the issuance of thousands of arms licences to non-residents in J&K.