J&K ACB books senior SICOP officials for alleged illegal appointment, promotions

Jammu, Jan 30 Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has said that it has registered a formal complaint against senior officials of the Jammu unit of the State Industrial Development Corporation (SICOP) in connection with alleged illegal appointments, regularisation and subsequent promotion made in violation of rules.

A statement by the ACB on Thursday said, "The Jammu Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a formal case against senior officials of the city unit of the State Industrial Development Corporation (SICOP) in connection with alleged illegal appointment, regularisation and subsequent promotions made in gross violation of rules and established procedures."

"The Jammu ACB registered a formal case under Sections 5(1)(d) read with Section 5(2) of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, Samvat calendar year 2006 and Section 120-B rules of professional conduct at Jammu ACB Police Station against R.K. Razdan, then Jammu SICOP Managing Director (MD) (now retired), Kunal Choudhary (now Deputy General Manager, Jammu SICOP) and others, into the allegations regarding illegal appointment, regularisation and promotion of one Kunal Choudhary, now working as SICOP Deputy General Manager.

"During the course of verification, it surfaced that R.K. Razdan, the then SICOP MD, by abuse of his official position and in criminal conspiracy with others, engaged Kunal Choudhary as Technical Assistant on temporary basis for the period of six months without any advertisement in the newspapers/inviting applications from the eligible candidates."

This temporary engagement was made on the basis of sole discretion as well as mere pick and choose manner by R.K Razdan, the then SICOP MD, the ACB statement added.

"The verification conducted further revealed that after merely six months of temporary services, the said Kunal Choudhary (Technical Assistant) was regularised without meeting any existing eligibility criteria and without any policy of government sanction of regularisation, as such, the appointment of Kunal Choudhary was arbitrary and illegal."

"Thereafter, he was promoted to the post of Manager without issuing any advertisement/without considering seniority of other eligible candidates."

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Further investigation is underway, the ACB statement said.

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