CET scam 2012: Range Officer, Forester dismissed from services

Forest, Ecology and Environment Department today dismissed services of a Range Officer and a Forester following their involvement in Common Entrance Test, 2012 scam.

“Range Officer-II, the then WildLife Warden, Kishtwar, Altaf Hussain Shah, and DDR Forester, the then Incharge DFO Social Forestry, Kupwara, Mohammed Amin Mir had allegedly been found involved in the common Entrance Test, 2012 scam and a case FIR Number 24 of 2013 was lodged against the officers by the Crime Branch, Kashmir,” reads an order of dismissal issued by the Commissioner Secretary, Forest, Ecology and Environment Department, Sanjeev Verma.

   

Verma in his order has quoted Crime Branch, Kashmir’s communication of May 12, 2014 while asserting that “The Then, Joint Director, Forest Protection Force (FPF) Kashmir IFS Javed Ahmed Andrabi was appointed as inquiry officer to enquire into the charges levelled against these two officers. The inquiry officers have provisionally concluded the penalty of ‘censure’ be imposed on the accused officers regarding their unauthorised absence from the duties pending outcome of criminal proceedings before the Anti Corruption Court in Srinagar.”

Meanwhile, both the officers also remained under judicial custody from May 3, 2018 to May 17, 2018 of Crime Branch, Kashmir in a case i.e., Crime Branch, Kashmir V/s Mushtaq Ahmed Peer and ors. On the basis of a report from the Crime Branch and Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, J&K, then Incharge DFO Marwah, Altaf Hussain Shah and then Incharge Project Officer LAWDA Mohammed Amin were also placed under suspension. “The law is clear that the convicted persons, even if the sentence (conviction) has been suspended by the appellate court, can be terminated from the service on criminal charges,” reads the order.

Meanwhile, then Incharge Wild Life Warden, Kishtwar, Altaf Hussain Shah has retired from the active service on October 31, 2019 and then Incharge DFO Social Forestry, Mohammed Amin Mir, Kupwara is retiring on July 3, 2024. “The Court of Special Judge Anti Corruption Srinagar on April 25, 2014 has convicted them among others with rigorous imprisonment. Therefore the services of the employees are to be dismissed from the date of conviction (April 25, 2018) in terms of provisions laid down in the Article 311 of the Constitution of India,” reads the dismissal order.

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