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| CBI’s action against former minister’s kin puts SAC under radar | | Accountability Commission had declared accused as innocent in 2013 | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 6: As the CBI has filed a case against Hilal Rather, the son of National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister Abdul Rahim Rather, in Rs 177-crore bank fraud case, there are serious questions over 2013 judgement by State Accountability Commission made on the same issue.
On February 13, 2013 NC Vice President was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, State Accountability Commission (SAC) closed the inquiry against then Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather regarding an allegation leveled by Yuva Shakti Mission in which, inter-alia, it was alleged that the Minister had given Smart Card contract to his son. Earlier, some other allegations made by this Organization in its complaint were dropped by the Commission suo moto at the preliminary stage of enquiry.
Immediately after the allegations were leveled against him, the then Finance Minister had in a press conference on February 23, 2012 described these allegations as baseless adding that some elements had launched a vilification campaign against him to tarnish his four decade long unblemished political career.
Rather had filed reply in the Accountability Commission even when it had become clear that the credentials of the complainant were not established. He had, however, expressed full faith in the wisdom of the Commission in delivering justice.
The Commission in the concluding para of its order dated 12.02.2013 observed “Therefore, this Commission would not have jurisdiction to proceed on anonymous complaints filed without giving sufficient particulars of the complainant(s) so as to identify them, like the instant complaint, as such we are unable to proceed further in the matter. The inquiry is therefore closed. Records received from the concerned departments be returned.”
The allegations against the former minister were that he awarded a contract worth Rs 2 crore to his son, in respect of preparing Smart Cards, for the Secretariat employees, in gross violation of the codal formalities. This way he was alleged to have showered huge and illegal benefits upon his son, even when he was not qualified to run such a project. Similarly, an agreement was executed and commission worth 12 Crore is alleged to have been earned by the former minister in respect of computerization of employees' data base commonly known as Computerized Personal Information System (CPIS), for about 5 lakh employees of the State.
After the complaint, a ray of hope was generated in the state of Jammu and Kashmir that justice could be delivered but however, the case against the then finance minister was closed without any conclusion.
The SAC comprised of Justice YP Nargotra (Rtd), Chairperson and Justice Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain (Rtd) Member had asked then Finance Minister to appear in person or through counsel before the Commission on March 6, 2012 in a case related to the preparation of Smart Cards.
This order was issued by SAC in a complaint filed by Yuva Shakti Vikas Mission raising serious allegations against the former minister and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah. |
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