CM Omar Abdullah Seeks Protection for JKAS Officer After Alleged Abuse by Senior IAS Officer

Srinagar, October 16: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to the Chief Secretary, urging the administration to ensure that a female Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer does not face retaliation following allegations of verbal abuse by a senior IAS officer during an official virtual meeting.

National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq shared the development on social media platform X, stating that the Chief Minister had taken serious note of the matter and stressed the need for accountability within the administration.

The controversy emerged after a video circulated on social media purportedly showing Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer serving as Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, allegedly making abusive remarks against Beenish Wani, Assistant Director, Employment and Counselling, Ganderbal, during a review meeting related to the Mission Youth Upliftment and Vibrant Advancement (YUVA) initiative.

The purported recording also appears to show the officer threatening further action against Wani and directing officials in his chamber to prepare her suspension order. However, the Labour and Employment Department has questioned the authenticity of the viral video.

Sadiq said the incident highlighted concerns over accountability in the administration and linked the issue to Jammu and Kashmir’s demand for restoration of full statehood. He argued that, had J&K been a full-fledged state, the officer could have been attached to the General Administration Department pending a formal inquiry into his conduct.

The National Conference spokesperson also alleged that influential officials continued to undermine the demand for statehood, stressing that public servants in positions of authority must be held accountable for their conduct.

Separately, another purported video from the same meeting has triggered questions about the civil service recruitment process in Jammu and Kashmir. The officer featured in the clip is allegedly heard making remarks suggesting that some candidates enter government service through what he described as a “setting” method.

The allegations and the authenticity of the circulating recordings remain central to the controversy, with the episode drawing attention to workplace conduct, protection of public officials from alleged intimidation, and accountability within the administration.