Public Prosecutor dismissed 3 years after recovery of drugs

Srinagar, Feb 09: After two years and 9 months, the Home Department of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday dismissed the services of the Prosecuting Officer who was arrested with narcotics.
The accused Waseem Ahmad Qureshi, the Assistant Public Prosecutor in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, Ukhral (Prosecuting Officer), while on his way from Rajouri on May 4 2020 was found to be in possession of eight grams of contraband, by the police party of Rajouri and immediately was put under suspension.
Subsequently, a case FIR No.230/2020 u/s 8(a), 21/29 of NDPS Act, 1985 was registered in Police Station, Rajouri, and further investigation was started in the case.
According to an order number Home-Pros/31/2022-08- charges were served upon the delinquent officer namely, Waseem Ahmad Qureshi is dismissed from service, with immediate effect, which will also disqualify him from future employment.
It said on 8 July last year, Qureshi was served with charge-sheet for furnishing his response within 21 days. Later, Qureshi submitted a response and upon examination, the same was found unsatisfactory, the order said.
Accordingly, in terms of Rule 33 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, the government ordered an inquiry.
“The Competent Authority, approved the report submitted by the Inquiry Officer and directed imposition of a penalty, provided in Rule 30(viii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, upon the delinquent officer.”
Pursuant to the decision of the Competent Authority and before imposing the penalty on Qureshi, the order said, a show cause notice dated 23 December 2022 alongwith the summary of the proceedings of the Inquiry was served upon Qureshi, giving him an opportunity to show cause, within a period of 15 days, as to why the penalty be not imposed on him.
“Instead of responding to the show cause notice, the delinquent officer vide his reply dated 10.01.2023, inter-alia, stated that he should be given more time to respond to the show cause notice,” he said.
According to order, the reply submitted by the delinquent officer was examined in consultation with the DG, Prisons, J&K and it was observed that the delinquent officer was attempting to evade the penalty by narrating misleading facts.
“It was further observed that the facts narrated in the reply had already been considered by the Inquiry Officer and the delinquent officer had failed to give any cogent reason, warranting consideration for imposing a lesser penalty.”
The reply given by the delinquent officer along with all the details were again placed before the Competent Authority; and chose not to change the decision of imposing the penalty of ‘dismissal from service of the State which ordinarily disqualifies from future employment”‘ upon the delinquent officer,” it said.
Now, therefore, in terms of Rule 30O(viii) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1956, Waseem Ahmed Qureshi, Prosecuting Officer is dismissed from service, with immediate effect, which will also disqualify him from future employment,’ reads the order.