JAMMU :Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of the controversy involving a senior IAS officer allegedly abusing a woman JKAS officer during an official meeting.
National Conference Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq in a post on X said that the Chief Minister has written to the Chief Secretary to ensure that the JKAS officer faces no retribution.
"The Hon’ble CM J&K Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of the matter and written to the Chief Secretary to ensure that the JKAS officer faces no retribution. Accountability must prevail, and no one should be allowed to misuse their position to intimidate or victimise others," Tanvir Sadiq posted on X.
The controversy erupted after a purported video surfaced showing Administrative Secretary Labour & Employment, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer, allegedly using abusive language and threatening Assistant Director Employment Ganderbal, Beenish Wani, a 2015-batch JKAS officer, during a review meeting of Mission YUVA.
In the video, Ranjan is seen repeatedly interrupting Wani while she was briefing about targets via video conferencing and allegedly asking her to "shut up" and using abusive words. He also directed his staff to draft her suspension order.
Earlier, reacting to the incident, Tanvir Sadiq had said that had J&K been a full state, the officer would have been attached to GAD pending inquiry.
"Had J&K been a full state, Kumar Rajiv Ranjan would have been attached to the GAD pending a formal inquiry into his conduct. This is precisely why the fight for the restoration of full statehood is so important, and why those occupying influential positions continue to undermine it," he said in another post on X.
The incident has triggered widespread criticism from different quarters demanding strict action against the senior officer for his alleged misbehaviour with a woman officer.