Pending Opinion From Law Deptt Dy Director HP&M Reinstated Amid Allegations of Ineligibility

Srinagar: Naheed Jabeen, formerly In-Charge Deputy Director Horticulture (Planning & Marketing) Kashmir and initially appointed as Assistant Grading and Marketing Officer (AGMO), had been suspended following complaints questioning her eligibility for the post.
The suspension came via Government Order 486-JK (APD) of 2024, dated October 15, 2024, after complaints were received from Mohd Yousef Shah of Kakpora, Pulwama, and Ayaz Ahmad Natnoo of Jammu. The complaints alleged that Jabeen did not possess the requisite qualifications as outlined in the Gazetted Recruitment Rules of Horticulture Planning and Marketing (1981). “The department had found that without the candidate meeting the eligibility criteria, her selection could not legally take place,” said a senior Agriculture Production Department official requesting anonymity. “An inquiry was sought to process her case for potential dismissal or premature retirement due to possible influence on the PSC or submission of fraudulent certificates.”
The Director of Horticulture Planning and Marketing reportedly confirmed in a report to the Agriculture Production Department that Miss Jabeen lacked the required qualifications for the AGMO post. Following this, APD sought information from the IGP Crime Branch Srinagar and the Commissioner Secretary to Government (GAD) under letters dated October 18 and 28, 2024, to explore disciplinary action. However, despite these proceedings and Supreme Court directives emphasizing zero tolerance for fraud and corruption, Miss Jabeen was reportedly reinstated by the current government without seeking the opinion of the Law Department. “This reinstatement raises serious questions of favoritism and undermines the principle of merit-based recruitment,” said an administrative expert familiar with the case. “It sets a troubling precedent in governance and accountability.” Authorities have not yet commented publicly on her reinstatement or whether the formal investigation into the alleged irregularities will continue.