No govt services, passport clearance to those involved in stone-pelting: J&K govt

Sri Nagar: The government of the Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir has issued an order stating there will be no security clearance to those found involved in law and order and stone pelting cases and other crimes "prejudicial to the security of the State" for passport verification and government schemes and services.

A circular from the SSP of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Branch, Kashmir, directed all field units to ensure that all such verification be corroborated with local police. Officials have also been asked to refer to digital evidence like CCTV footage and photographs.

It must be ensured that “during verification related to passport, service, and any other verification related to government services/schemes, the subject’s involvement with law and order, stone pelting cases and other crime prejudicial to the security of the state be specifically looked into and the same must be corroborated with local police station records”.

“Also, digital evidence like CCTV footage, photographs, videos and audio clips, quadcopter images available in the records of the police and security forces and security agencies shall be referred to,” the order further read. Any person found involved in any such cases must be denied the security clearance.

An earlier amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Verification of Character and Antecedents) Instructions, 1997, had mandated a “satisfactory” CID report to land a government job.

It has also been made compulsory to disclose whether any family member or close relative is associated with any political party or organisation, or has participated in any political activity, or has had links with a foreign mission or organisation, or any prescribed/ prohibited/ banned organisation such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The moves came weeks after some government officials were dismissed from service over alleged anti-State activities.