CM seeks to ensure no retaliatory action against Beenish Wani; JKAS fraternity demands impartial probe as Labour Department questions authenticity of viral clips
Suhail Khan
Srinagar, October 16: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has taken serious note of the alleged verbal abuse of a woman Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer by a senior IAS officer and written to the Chief Secretary to ensure that she does not face retaliatory action, National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said on Friday.
In a post on X, Sadiq, the MLA from Zadibal, said, “Accountability must prevail, and no one should be allowed to misuse their position to intimidate or victimise others.”
The development comes amid mounting criticism over a purported video showing senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan allegedly abusing Assistant Director Beenish Wani during a review meeting of Mission YUVA at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar on October 14. The footage has triggered demands for an impartial inquiry from the JKAS fraternity and employees’ organisations, besides criticism from political leaders.
The authenticity and completeness of the circulating clips have not been independently established.
According to the purported footage, the confrontation began during a discussion on the role of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in implementing Mission YUVA, a government initiative aimed at promoting employment and entrepreneurship.
Ranjan questioned why the department needed assistance from another agency to meet its targets, maintaining that NRLM was a supporting agency rather than the principal authority responsible for implementation.
As Wani attempted to explain her position, Ranjan allegedly interrupted her repeatedly and asked her to stop speaking. The exchange escalated, with the video purportedly showing him using abusive language and telling her, “I am your boss, stupid.”
Wani objected to being addressed in that manner. Ranjan subsequently directed officials to prepare a suspension order and write to the General Administration Department (GAD), seeking action against her, including dismissal from service, according to the footage.
Ranjan has reportedly suggested that the video could be “morphed or AI-generated”.
The JKAS fraternity has condemned what it described as the verbal abuse and public humiliation of a serving woman officer, calling on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo and the GAD to order an impartial inquiry.
While acknowledging the need for administrative accountability and performance reviews, the fraternity said these could not justify abusive language, intimidation or conduct that undermined an officer’s dignity.
It also sought an independent technical examination of the video, arguing that the officer’s reported leave status could not, by itself, establish that the recording was fabricated.
The fraternity said Wani had joined the meeting virtually despite being on leave following a fracture. It called for assurances that she would not face retaliatory action and demanded a public apology from Ranjan, along with appropriate proceedings if the allegations were established.
The Jammu and Kashmir Employees Joint Action Committee (J&K EJAC) has also sought a time-bound and impartial inquiry.
EJAC spokesperson Mir Bashir Ahmad said the organisation’s president, Wajahat Hussain Durrani, had called for appropriate action against anyone found guilty. The organisation said differences over official work should be addressed professionally and that every government employee was entitled to dignity and respect, irrespective of rank.
In a clarification, the Labour and Employment Department said the meeting, held from 3 pm to 6 pm on October 14, was convened to review departmental performance across all 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
The department said the complete recording was available with the National Informatics Centre (NIC) and described the clips circulating on social media as selectively edited and unverified.
It said the meeting focused on assessing the implementation of Mission YUVA and emphasising the need for dedication, responsibility and timely delivery of benefits to eligible youth.
The department also said mutual respect, discipline and professional decorum were essential in official interactions and that the matter would be taken to its logical conclusion in accordance with the applicable rules.
Urging the media and the public to exercise caution before sharing unverified footage, it said selective editing of internal administrative discussions could create a misleading impression of the proceedings.
The incident has also drawn reactions from Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti.
Ruhullah criticised the alleged conduct, accusing the senior bureaucrat of threatening Wani’s career after she sought to complete her explanation during the meeting. He urged the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Secretary to ensure that she was not victimised for standing up for herself.
Mufti condemned the alleged use of derogatory language and demanded immediate action against Ranjan.
“How dare you use such derogatory and demeaning language? Take your god complex and dirty slurs elsewhere. We will not tolerate this in Kashmir,” she said in a post on X.
She also alleged that Kashmiri administrative and police officers had been sidelined since 2019, claiming that local officers were being undermined within the administration.
Addressing Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Mufti called for Ranjan’s immediate suspension and argued that the standards applied to government employees facing disciplinary action should also apply to senior officials.
Joint Director of the Rural Development Department Mantasha Binti Rashid also expressed support for Wani, criticising what she described as high-handedness by senior officers.
In a social media post, Rashid said professional accountability could not come at the cost of dignity and that officers should be allowed to explain their positions during official meetings without being subjected to humiliation.
Senior journalist Samaan Latief also questioned what the alleged exchange meant for women employees working lower down the administrative hierarchy.
The controversy has brought renewed attention to workplace dignity and accountability within the Jammu and Kashmir administration. While the department has questioned the context of the circulating clips, the JKAS fraternity and employees’ organisations have called for an independent examination of the footage and safeguards against any retaliatory action against Wani.
The allegations against Ranjan remain subject to verification.
