Cousin Syed Madni was appointed as executive officer in Khadi & Village Industries Board
The appointment of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s cousin Syed Aroot Madni as executive officer in Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB) has snowballed into a major controversy after state law secretary, who was the controller of the examination, questioned the fairness of requirement process and sought CID probe into the matter.
Under pressure, Mehbooba has ordered a high-level inquiry into procedural inadequacies in the selection process of the KVIB. The inquiry would be held by a committee headed by Chief Secretary BB Vyas. He has been asked to furnish the report in a short time.
Aroot Madni is the son of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vice-president Sartaj Madni. Madni, considered the second most powerful man in PDP, is the maternal uncle of Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.
“… There are some complaints against the examination process, that the same was not fair, as Administrative Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, also reported the same verbally to me (sic)”, said Secretary to Government, Department of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, who was the controller of Examination, KVIB, in a letter to Inspector General of Police, CID, Jammu and Kashmir, on September 9, 2017.
The Controller of Examination also sought thorough verification into the matter to ensure the process is transparent. “A request has been made to make in depth verification in the matter, so that it is ensured that the process was transparent and no favour has been done to any candidate,” he added.
In fact, he noted that the examination was conducted, but due to paucity of time and engagement in the office as Secretary Law, he could not visit the examination centers during the examination except on August 6, at Jammu centers only.
Vice-chairman of KVIB Peerzada Mansoor Hussain told DNA that the Board has nothing to do with the selection. “I do not know (about the law secretary’s letter), I am away in Rajasthan. Our board has nothing to do with the selection,” he said.
Opposition National Conference (NC) has demanded court-monitored judicial probe into what they called a scam. “No high-level probe by the Chief Minister will suffice. It is she who stands accused of patronizing and facilitating these recruitment scams and widespread nepotism along with her family members and close political aides and nothing short of a court-monitored, judicial probe is acceptable,” said Junaid Azim Mattu, NC state spokesperson.
Sensing trouble, there are reports that Aroot Madni has forfeited the appointment as executive officer of KVIB to save PDP from disgrace. Calling it a theatrical move of PDP vice-president’s son, Mattu said Aroot Madni’s withdrawal from the KVIB indicates that his recruitment was highly questionable and wouldn’t have stood the scrutiny of a probe.
IN A PICKLE
- Under pressure, Mehbooba has ordered high-level inquiry into procedural inadequacies in the selection process of KVIB
- The inquiry would be held by a committee headed by Chief Secretary BB Vyas
- Aroot Madni is the son of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) vice-president Sartaj Madni
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 "Mehbooba Mufti")
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