Nine govt employees sacked over corruption charges

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday sacked nine government employees, including five officers, on corruption charges.
All the employees have been sacked under 226(2) Article of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations which allows the administration to retire government employees at any time after completing 22 years of service or attaining the age of 48 years, an official said.
They all belonged to the Housing and Urban Development Department.
“The charges against the sacked officials were confirmed by the departmental committees and upheld by the designated review committee under article 226(2), including misappropriation of funds, falsification of records and raising fake bills and allowing illegal constructions, and making illegal appointments,” the official said.
According to the official, most of the officials have faced probes by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and were also suspended by the government.
Those sacked include senior building officer Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Mehraj-uddin- Buja, Executive officer Municipal council Anantnag, Ghulam Mohi-uddin Malik, Assistant Sanitation officer Municipal Committee Shopian, Shabir Ahmed Wani, Sanitary Supervisor MC Doda, Zakir Ali, Head Assistant MC Banihal, Abdul Latief, Senior Assistant MC Doda, Sukesh Kumar, Incharge secretary Urban Local bodies Kashmir, Gowhar Ali Tugoo, Secretary Urban Local Bodies Kashmir, Shagufta Fazil and Electrician MC Reasi, Thakur Dass, official said.
As per the official, a majority of them have been involved in cases of corruption, illegal appointments and embezzlement.
Article 226(2) is essentially invoked to remove dead wood from the government services under which the employees can be retired after being given three months’ notice or three months of pay and allowance in lieu of the notice, the official added.