The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday terminated the services of six government employees, citing “security of the state” as reason.
The termination orders, accessed by Scroll.in, said the employees were sacked under Article 311 of the Constitution of India. It did not mention any lapses or misconduct of the terminated employees. Officials told PTI that the employees were sacked for allegedly having links with terrorists.
No inquiry is necessary against the accused under the amended Article 311 of the Constitution. A designated committee for scrutinising such cases recommended this action. Dismissed employees can only approach a High Court for relief.
This is the third such action by the Jammu and Kashmir administration this year.
In July, the administration terminated the services of 11 government employees, including sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, for allegedly providing information to terrorists. In May, three government employees were sacked.
In Wednesday’s action, two police constables identified as Jaffer Hussain Butt and Showkat Ahmad Khan were among those suspended.
Butt, a resident of Kishtwar in Jammu region, was arrested and named in a chargesheet by the National Investigation Agency for allegedly giving his vehicle to Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists and facilitating their safe movement, India Today reported. He is out on bail since September 2019.
Khan is a resident of Budgam in central Kashmir and was allegedly involved in looting of weapons from the home of a Legislative Council member. He was detained under the Public Safety Act in 2019.
Two teachers, one from Anantnag and another from Baramulla, also faced action.
Officials alleged that one of the teachers, Abdul Hamid Wani, was a district commander of the now-defunct terrorist outfit, Allah Tigers, before joining government service. Wani was also accused of propagating secessionist ideology.
Liyaqat Ali Kakroo, who is a teacher since 1983, was arrested in 2001. Investigations “revealed that he was a locally trained terrorist”, the officials claimed.
Two others who were sacked were identified as Tariq Mehmood Kohli, a range officer in the Forest Department and Junior Assistant Mohd Rafi Butt who was worked in the Road and Building Department.
The government terminated services of Kohli for allegedly being involved in smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition, explosives, including hard drugs and fake Indian currency notes from Pakistan, the officials said.
Butt is accused of providing logistical support to Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists in Kishtwar. He is also named in a first information report lodged by the National Investigation Agency.
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