SRINAGAR, OCT 16: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of the alleged verbal abuse of a woman JKAS officer by a senior IAS officer during an official virtual meeting and has written to the Chief Secretary to ensure that she does not face any retaliation.
National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq shared the development on social media platform X, stating that the Chief Minister had intervened in the matter and stressed the need for accountability.
Sadiq said no official should be allowed to misuse their position to intimidate, harass or victimise others, adding that the JKAS officer must be protected from any form of retribution.
The controversy erupted after a purported video of a Mission YUVA review meeting went viral on social media. The video allegedly shows Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer serving as Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, using abusive language against Beenish Wani, Assistant Director at the Employment and Counselling Centre in Ganderbal.
According to the viral clip, the argument occurred while Wani was participating in the virtual meeting and briefing officials on matters related to the Mission Youth Upliftment and Vibrant Advancement (YUVA) programme.
The footage allegedly shows Ranjan using offensive language, asserting that he could speak to the officer in that manner and directing officials present in his chamber to prepare her suspension order immediately.
However, the Labour and Employment Department, which falls under Ranjan’s administrative control, has questioned the authenticity of the viral video. The allegations have not been independently established.
National Conference Raises Statehood Issue
Reacting to the controversy, Sadiq also linked the issue to Jammu and Kashmir’s demand for the restoration of full statehood.
He argued that, had Jammu and Kashmir been a full-fledged state, the officer could have been attached to the General Administration Department (GAD) pending a formal inquiry into his conduct.
The NC spokesperson maintained that restoring statehood would strengthen administrative accountability and ensure greater oversight of officials holding positions of authority.
Questions Raised Over Civil Service Recruitment
Separately, another purported video clip from the same meeting has drawn attention after an officer was allegedly heard making remarks suggesting that some candidates enter the civil services through what he described as a “setting” process.
The remarks have raised questions about the integrity of the civil service recruitment system, although the claims require verification.
The controversy has intensified calls for a fair and impartial inquiry into the alleged incident, with the focus now on ensuring accountability, protecting the dignity of the woman officer and establishing the authenticity and full context of the viral footage.
