IAS officers among dozen under scanner in Kashmir

JAMMU - Two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the rank of commissioner secretary are among a dozen civil service officers in Jammu and Kashmir under the scanner for corruption, official sources said Sunday.

Both the officers, who were promotees to IAS, are from the state and have held significant positions so far.

Official sources said this exercise has been going on for months now as it was discovered that some officers, including those holding high positions, had built assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The state government would seek green signal from the union ministry of personnel regarding the IAS officers, while the officers within the state will be shown the door in the next few weeks, the sources said.

The disclosure was made in Jammu-based newspaper Daily Excelsior. When contacted, official sources confirmed that the “exercise was on”.

These sources also disclosed that some of the officers under scrutiny had been working with some of the state ministers in acquiring financial and building assets in an illicit manner.

All relevant details have been collected on these officers. These would be made public after an action is taken against them which may include acquisition of their assets by the government and arrest under the anti-corruption laws of the land, the sources aid.

An anti-corruption law was enacted in Jammu and Kashmir in 2006 which enables the state to take possession of the movable and immovable properties of the corrupt officers, including those who retired from service 20 years ago.