SRINAGAR Expressing hope that official culprits who fabricated the documents and embezzled Government funds will be brought to logical conclusion, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Monday a dismissed petition by 281 persons, claiming to be working as need based casual labourers in the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Division Handwara, and seeking their regulation.
Dismissing a petition filed by these persons, a bench of Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey expressed hope that competent authority will proceed departmentally against the official culprits who have fabricated the documents and embezzled Government funds.
The petitioners had challenged order issued by the Chief Engineer, PHE Department Kashmir on 11 April last year, rejecting their claim that the records available reveal that they have not worked and are not entitled to any wages.
The Chief Engineer had passed the order on the directions by the high court 16 April 2012, asking the chief engineer to consider petition by these persons.
Since the Court order dated 16.04.2012 passed in the main writ petition stands implemented in as much as the Chief Engineer in consideration of the case of the petitioners pursuant to the said Court order has passed the impugned order, the contempt petition is dismissed, the court said.
While parting with this file, the Court expresses the hope that apart from vigorously pursuing the case with the Crime Branch, if it still continues to be under investigation, the competent authority amongst the respondents will proceed departmentally against the official culprits who have fabricated the documents and embezzled Government funds, and ensure that the departmental proceedings are brought to a logical end, the court said.
In order to ensure that the concerned officials do not show any slackness, the court directed its Registry a copy of the judgment to the Chief Secretary.It is expected of him to require and persuade the concerned respondent(s) to take necessary follow up action in the matter so that guilty are brought to justice, the court added.
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