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| 17-years on, in-charge Principal GDC Srinagar calls shots | | | Jehangir Rashid
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, June 6: The change of guard at the Chief Secretary level in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir has given hope that ‘tainted’, ‘corrupt’ officers as well as officials would be removed and the in-charge syndrome would go away in the days to come.
Since Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta has assumed the charge of Chief Secretary a week back it is expected that he would act tough against officers and officials who have been found tainted by none other than the court of law. Once action is taken against such people then one can expect the corrupt practices to end in Jammu & Kashmir.
For the past 17 years or so Government Dental College (GDC) Srinagar has been manned by an in-charge Principal and the medico has not been confirmed by the concerned authorities.
Although the medico was indicted in a corruption case by the court almost a decade ago no action has been taken against him so far.
It would be in place to mention here that in September 2019 the Supreme Court of India ruled that an order issued by the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir in a corruption case should not be treated as precedent for any other case.
The order was issued by a three judge bench of the apex court comprising Justice Arun Mishra, Justice Vineet Saran and Justice S. Ravindra Bhat. The order was issued in response to a petition filed by Sheikh Ghulam Rasool with regards to corruption cases at Government Dental College, Srinagar and Government Dental College Jammu.
The case pertains to the exorbitant purchases made by Principal GDC Srinagar, Dr. Riyaz Farooq. The Principal GDC Srinagar had made exorbitant purchases both at the GDC Srinagar and GDC Jammu. The case was unprecedented since it was for the first time that the Supreme Court heard a corruption case of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.
The Supreme Court accepted the plea of the petitioner that the case be treated as Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Following the Supreme Court order it was expected that Dr. Riyaz would be removed as Principal GDC Srinagar so that a fair probe is carried out in the whole episode, but that was not to be.
Dr. Riyaz continues to be the Principal of GDC Srinagar and no action has been taken against him so far. In the Supreme Court the accused had pleaded that the judgment passed by the High Court should be treated as final and he should not be subjected to any further probe in the matter. The plea was rejected by the Supreme Court following which it passed an order according to which precedent was asked to be avoided.
Sources told Early Times that the administration of union territory of Jammu & Kashmir led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Kumar Sinha has so far taken no action against the tainted Principal of GDC Srinagar. Given the fact that Jammu & Kashmir has a new chief secretary it is expected that action against Principal GDC Srinagar would be taken this time around.
Right to Information (RTI) activist, Tanveer Hussain had gathered information through RTI regarding purchases of various dental machinery and equipment made by college authorities including “Digital Panoramic X-ray machine” and “Complete Vertical Rack Sterilization system”.
An FIR under No.33 of 2012 dated 18.12.2012 U/s 5(2) P.C Act Svt. 2006 r/w 120-B R.P.C was registered by the Vigilance Organization Kashmir against the accused Dr. Riyaz, in his capacity as Chairman purchase committee no.3 along with other members of the purchase committee in criminal conspiracy with V.L. Narayan of M/s Villa India for procurement of machinery at an exorbitant price for pecuniary benefits to one another causing a loss of over 16 lacs to the state exchequers.
Dr. Riyaz had filed a writ petition being OWP no.1259 of 2015 before the High Court U/A 226 of the Constitution of India of Jammu and Kashmir with section 561 – A Cr.P.C seeking issuance of writ of certiorari quashing the report of vigilance organization FIR No.33/2012 registered at P.S VOK and communication dated 20.04.2015 vide which vigilance clearance was not accorded to him. After filing the objections, High Court vide its order dated 23.07.2015 stayed the FIR No.33/ 2012 and investigation thereof. |
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