New Delhi, Oct 17, KDC: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has taken suo motu cognizance of the alleged verbal abuse and intimidation directed at a junior woman officer by a senior bureaucrat in Jammu and Kashmir, ordering the Union Territory administration to conduct an urgent inquiry and submit a factual report within 15 days.
In an official communication sent to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Friday evening, a copy of which has been accessed by news agency Kashmir Dot Com, the statutory body cited media reports and widely circulated video footage showing Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS, Administrative Secretary of the Labour & Employment Department, verbally abusing Beenish Wani, JKAS, Assistant Director (Employment), Ganderbal.
The incident took place during an official virtual review meeting on October 14, 2026.
Invoking its mandate under Section 9(1) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, the commission observed that the circulated footage prima facie indicates the use of intemperate and derogatory language against a female officer belonging to a minority community. The NCM noted that the exchange raises acute concerns regarding dignity at the workplace, the conduct expected of senior administrators, and the institutional safeguards guaranteed to women and minority personnel.
Marking the communication as “Most Urgent,” NCM Under Secretary Sunil Kumar Singh requested the Chief Secretary to have the matter formally investigated and to furnish an Action Taken and factual report for the commission’s review. Copies of the directive were forwarded to J&K’s General Administration Department (GAD) and NCM Chairman Harjeet Singh Grewal.
The incident occurred on October 14 during a territory-wide virtual review of Mission YUVA, a flagship self-employment program. Wani, who attended the video conference remotely while recovering from a foot fracture, was presenting progress targets for Ganderbal district.
A procedural dispute arose when Ranjan questioned the operational involvement of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). When Wani explained that NRLM served strictly in a supporting role, Ranjan shouted at her to “shut up.” As Wani asked to be permitted to clarify her position and objected to his tone, Ranjan remarked: “You are bloody shit. I can always talk like that. I am your boss, stupid.”
During the heated exchange, Ranjan directed his staff to immediately draft a suspension order against Wani and draft a recommendation to the GAD seeking her outright dismissal from service under civil services rules. Wani shot back with “to hell with you” before exiting the session.
Ranjan, a 2010-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, previously faced disciplinary and investigative scrutiny. In 2020, he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the multi-district arms licensing scandal during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara, an inquiry for which central prosecution sanction was granted in late 2024.
Following widespread public indignation, the General Administration Department of Jammu and Kashmir instituted a formal inquiry. Senior IAS officer Mandeep Kaur, Commissioner/Secretary of the Housing and Urban Development Department, was appointed as the Inquiry Officer with orders to submit an in-depth report within 15 days. Amit Vermani, JKAS, was named Presenting Officer.
Alongside the Minorities Commission, the National Commission for Women (NCW) also stepped in, demanding an independent Action Taken Report from the J&K Chief Secretary to guard against professional victimization or administrative retribution against the woman officer.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grave concern over the video, communicating with administrative heads to ensure fairness and prevent unwarranted harassment. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, PDP leader Iltija Mufti, and Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi condemned the outburst, describing it as an unacceptable display of administrative high-handedness against local civil servants.
The Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) Officers’ Association strongly condemned the conduct, demanding a formal apology and institutional safeguards for field officers. In contrast, the Labour and Employment Department issued a statement claiming the circulated recordings were selectively clipped and digitally manipulated out of context, urging the public to await the findings of the formal administrative inquiry. (KDC)
