The Government of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir headed by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has dismissed six employees of the state government for maintaining links with terrorist organizations as well as working as overground workers of terror outfits. The six dismissed personnel include two constables of the Jammu & Kashmir police.
These dismissed employees have been identified as Hamid Wani, a teacher from Anantnag, Zafar Hussain Bhat, a constable of Jammu & Kashmir police from Kishtwar, Mohammad Rafi from Kishtwar posted at Road and building department as a junior engineer, Liyakat Ali Kakru a teacher from Baramula, Tarique Mohammad Kohali of Poonch district posted as a ranger in the forest department and Saukat Ahmed Khan, a police constable from Badgam.
They have been dismissed by the government under the power conferred by article 311 (2) (C) of the Indian Constitution which states that “where the President is satisfied that the retention of a person in public service is prejudicial to the security of the State, his services can be terminated without recourse to the normal procedure prescribed in Article 311 (2)”.
The intelligence reports of their association with terror organizations were placed before the UT Level Screening Committee which recommended their termination. The committee was formed under the rules of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Verification of Character & Antecedents) Instructions, 1997 for its decision.
Notably, a few days back the Government of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir had freshly issued a detailed circular to carry discrete verification of the character and antecedents of its employees in the wake of the reports of direct or indirect involvement of some of the government employees in terrorist activities.
The circular issued by the General Administration Department said that the employees are required to maintain absolute integrity, honesty and allegiance to the Union of India and its Constitution and do nothing which is unbecoming of a Government servant.
Hamid Wani was the district commander of banned terror outfit Allah Tiger. He got the government job with the help of Jamat-e-Islami. He was on the forefront of anti-India conspiracy after security forces gunned down notorious Islamic militant Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the commander in the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Zafar Hussain Bhat was arrested by the National Investigation Agency in the past in a terror case and he is currently on bail. He was accused of arranging logistics for Hizbul Mujahideen.
Similarly, Mohammad Rafi used to provide shelter to terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen besides other logistic supports.
Liyakat Ali Kakru had joined the government service in 1983. In 2001 he was arrested and allegedly a huge consignment of arms and ammunition was recovered from his possession. He was also booked under the Public Safety Act. But he was discharged by the court later on due to lack of evidence.
Tarique Mohammad Kohali was involved in the supply of arms and ammunition to terror organizations and he was also allegedly involved in the fake Indian currency note racket to help Pakistan sponsored terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir. Saukat Ahmed Khan was involved in a weapon loot case and he was also arrested in 2019 under Public Safety Act.
In the past also the Jammu & Kashmir government had dismissed two sons of Hizbul chief Sayed Salahuddin and 9 others from government jobs for links with terror funding.