J&K govt mulling CB probe into WhatsApp letter maligning IAS officers

Jammu editor disowns the letter in wide circulation of social media

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir is likely to order a Crime Branch investigation into the wide circulation of a purported complaint seeking ‘dismissal’ of a number of senior bureaucrats and officers including a former Chief Secretary and some senior IAS officers.
The Government at the highest level is understood to have taken cognizance of the purported letter of a Jammu-based editor which has been in wide circulation of WhatsApp groups on Wednesday and Thursday.
The communication with the subject “Dismissal of all notorious outsider senior IAS officers from service and save Jammu and Kashmir from corruption and sex scandals” is being seen as an attempt to destabilize the government in the thick of the Parliamentary elections with the character assassination of a number of senior bureaucrats and officers in the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.
The purported letter was addressed to the incumbent Chief Secretary on 12th of January 2024 but released through social media at the end of April 2024.
The allegations against the bureaucrats and officers have been framed on the basis of a different letter which a Delhi-based senior Kashmiri journalist is claimed to have written to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs some time back. According to the fresh letter, the MHA had forwarded the letter for action to the then Chief Secretary over two years back. It claims that the then Chief Secretary did not initiate any action.
On the basis of the Delhi journalist’s letter, the Jammu-based editor has purportedly addressed a fresh letter of complaint against the IAS officers to the incumbent Chief Secretary in January 2024. He has sought dismissal of the “tainted officers”.
The NEWS NOW learned from knowledgeable sources that the Union Territory government on Thursday contacted both the journalists mentioned in the WhatsApp communication. The Delhi-based journalist, according to sources, maintained that she had written a letter of a different content and claimed that she had never submitted any letter of this text and content to any agency.
Sources said that the Jammu-based editor mentioned in the fresh communication claimed that there was no person by the name of the complainant in his organisation. He issued a statement, claiming that he or any other employee of his newspaper had never written, submitted or circulated any such letter.
Meanwhile, at least three officers, including a vice chancellor of a University submitted representations to the Government seeking a thorough investigation and action against the culprits involved in their character assassination.
The communication in wide circulation of the internet has targeted a former Chief Secretary at least 5 senior IAS, two of whom are still serving in Jammu and Kashmir. It has also targeted three lady officers of Srinagar.
Sources said that the response from the two journalists and representations from at least three officers, the Government was considering a thorough Crime Branch investigation to identify the person who had uploaded the said communication first on social media. After his or her proper identification, appropriate criminal action would be initiated, said a well-placed source.

Updated On 5/3/2024 2:44:25 AM