Jammu and Kashmir High Court Issues Summons to IAS Officer Over Alleged Plot to Frame Sub-Judge
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has summoned Shyambir Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal and an IAS officer, following allegations that he attempted to frame Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Fayaz Ahmed Qureshi. The allegations emerged after CJM Qureshi referred the matter to the High Court, suspecting that Singh sought revenge by fabricating charges against him.
On August 2, a Bench of Justices Sanjeev Kumar and Atul Sreedharan issued a notice requiring Singh to appear in person before the High Court on August 5, 2024, at 11:00 am. The court warned that any attempt to avoid the summons or failure to appear would lead to coercive measures to ensure his presence.
The contempt case is linked to a civil suit concerning land acquisition. Landowners had complained to the trial court that they had not received compensation for their land. In January, the CJM ordered the payment of compensation. By June, when the compensation had still not been paid, the court ordered the attachment of salaries of the district officials responsible, including the Deputy Commissioner.
Tensions escalated when Singh allegedly ordered an investigation into a property owned by CJM Qureshi. According to a July 23 order, the property had been acquired long before Qureshi became a judge and had no disputes over its title. CJM Qureshi raised concerns that Singh, along with other officials, were conspiring to fabricate charges against him due to the unsatisfactory response to the salary attachment order.
CJM Qureshi’s July 23 order accused Singh of attempting to harass him by initiating an investigation into his property and conspiring to frame him in a false case. The CJM noted that Singh had not responded to these serious allegations, prompting the referral to the High Court on August 1.
In response to the gravity of the situation, the High Court has requested the assistance of Senior Advocate RA Jan as amicus curiae. The case is set to be heard again on August 5, 2024.
(With inputs from agency)
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