Citing a letter dated July 30 addressed to the MHA additional secretary, the officials said the General Administration Department, Ladakh stated that the women cooperative society was registered when IAS officer Prasanna Ramaswamy was serving as Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS).
The records indicate that Ramaswamy and his spouse, Abhilasha Bahuguna, were listed as co-founder members, the officials said, adding since the society’s Articles of Association designated the deputy commissioner, Leh, as its ex-officio chairman, Ramaswamy also became its chairman while serving as DC of Leh (2015-2017).
The administration noted that departmental records do not indicate prior approval from the competent authority for such an association, the officials said.
Ramaswamy is currently serving as Commissioner and Secretary (Tribal Affairs), Jammu and Kashmir.
The officials said the letter highlighted that the women cooperative society subsequently received grants, contributions and institutional support from government and non-government sources, including assistance from NABARD and funding under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The administration also raised concerns over the society’s application for registration of ‘Ladakh Pashmina Textiles’ as a Geographical Indication (GI).
The officials said departmental records do not show that the competent authority had approved the application, despite a representation claiming approval from the director of industries.
The letter also referred to an examination report issued by the GI Registry on September 11, 2025, which recommended a broader institutional framework and identified deficiencies requiring rectification before further processing, the officials said.
Stating that these findings had emerged from the available records, the officials said the matter has been placed before the MHA for consideration and appropriate action.
