 "Five policemen among six J-K officials sacked for 'narco-terror links'")
J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday terminated six government employees, including five policemen, for their alleged involvement in financial terrorism through narco-terror links, officials said.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration said that Sinha invoked Article 311(2) (c) of the Constitution to sack the officials.
"Six government officials, including five policemen and a teacher, were found involved in terror financing through drug sales," an official said.
Investigation finds links with Pakistan's ISI
According to officials, an investigation into the incident revealed that these employees were part of a narco-terror network. The network was being run by Pakistan spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and terror groups operating from its soil.
Under proviso 'c' of the Article, the president or governor, as applicable, has the authority to terminate an employee without any enquiry. This form of power is used by the administration if there is a suspicion that the employee's continued service is harmful to the security of the State.
The profits generated from the narcotics trade were then used to support terrorist activities.
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70 such dismissals since August 2019
According to Hindustan Times, the sacked officials were identified as government teacher Nazam Din, and constables Irshad Ahmad Chalkoo, Saif Din, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, Khalid Hussian Shah, and Rehmat Shah.
The report added that the latest action takes the total count of such dismissals of government employees to 70 on similar grounds since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The abrogation of Article 370 refers to the Centre’s decision to revoke the special autonomous status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. The decision led to reorganisation of the region into two separate Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
(With inputs from PTI)