"Taken Up In Strongest Terms": Omar Abdullah On IAS Officer Abuse Case

Taking serious note of a senior IAS officer allegedly using abusive language against his junior woman colleague during an official meeting, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has written to the Chief Secretary, directing him to ensure that no retributive action is taken against the JKAS officer.

"I have seen the video of the online government meeting that is circulating on social media. Prima facie, the conduct of the senior officer was not in keeping with the standards expected of a senior IAS officer and the subsequent threats issued to a junior JKAS officer only make matters worse," Omar Abdullah wrote in a post on X.

Abdullah said he has taken up the matter with the Chief Secretary in the strongest possible terms.

In a subsequent post, raking up the issue of statehood, he said had J&K been a full-fledged state, the IAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct.

"As a UT, we expect the authorities with control over the IAS officers to set the right example and ensure abusive, threatening behaviour is not brushed under the carpet," he posted.

Read | B****y S**t: IAS Officer Abuses Woman Colleague In Virtual Meeting In J&K

Meanwhile, sources said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has already sought a report from Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo in this regard.

According to sources, the incident took place during a review meeting of Mission YUVA, convened to assess progress of the flagship National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) scheme on October 14.

In the video of the virtual meeting, which has gone viral, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, can be heard losing his temper and shouting at his junior Beenish Wani, Assistant Director Employment, allegedly using abusive language and asserting, "I am your boss."

The heated argument started when Wani cited NRLM's role and flagged coordination issues in the implementation of the scheme.

Ranjan objected, saying NRLM was only a supporting agency and not the main authority. "Why do you need NRLM? Apna kaam doosre ko de dete ho (You pass on your work to others)," he remarked.

When Wani tried to explain her department's targets, Ranjan cut her off, saying, "Shut up! Shut up! Don't explain."

Wani objected to being interrupted and asked to be allowed to complete her sentence.

Ranjan then allegedly said, "You are bl***y s**t."

"You can't call me s**t," Wani shot back.

"I am your boss," Ranjan replied. He later sought her suspension, but sources said no such order has been issued so far.

The incident has triggered massive outrage both online and offline, with several political leaders demanding action against the IAS officer.