SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has dismissed a Power Development Department (PDD) employee from service over his alleged involvement in terrorism and anti-national activities in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
According to an official order, Mohammad Shafi Malik, a lineman and resident of Eidgah Mohalla, Bijbehara, was removed from service under Article 311(2)(b) of the Constitution of India, which permits dismissal without a departmental inquiry under exceptional circumstances.
The order states that Malik had allegedly been associated with the banned militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) since 2016 and was facing trial in multiple criminal cases.
It said three FIRs had been registered against him in connection with alleged anti-national activities, while two additional stone-pelting cases were pending against him at Police Station Bijbehara.
According to the order, security agencies reported that militants affiliated with LeT were found hiding at Malik’s residence in Arwani, Bijbehara, in June 2017, leading to an encounter in which three militants were killed.
The government said material provided by the Home Department and other security agencies established sufficient grounds for invoking Article 311(2)(b), allowing the authorities to dispense with a departmental inquiry in the interest of public service and security.
The dismissal order, issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, Ashwani Kumar, stated that the nature and gravity of the allegations warranted Malik’s removal from government service. (KNO)
