M A I N   N E W S

Notices to backdoor appointees

Jammu, May 5
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued notices to 129 government servants for allegedly getting back-door appointments by the previous National Conference government.

Mr Justice R.C. Gandhi issued notices to 129 persons, including relatives of some former ministers, MLAs and top government officials, yesterday on Criminal Miscellaneous Petition filed by high court lawyer Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed alleging that they had got back-door appointments.

Most of them were appointed directly into the gazetted cadres by the previous NC government, the petition said. The alleged back-door appointments by the NC government had rocked the state Assembly and triggered anti-government rallies last year.

Those who were appointed illegally include former NC minister Shafi Uri’s son Owais Ahmed, former Home Minister Najeeb Surharwardhy’s kin Aimen Usman and former minister G.M. Mir’s relative Naseema Aktar, the petition alleged.

Kin of the personal staff of former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah were also given back-door appointments, it said. PTI