'I am your boss, stupid': IAS officer allegedly abuses woman official during meeting in J&K

Srinagar: A senior IAS officer in Jammu and Kashmir has sparked controversy after a purported video surfaced showing him allegedly verbally abusing a woman administrative officer and threatening to have her suspended and dismissed from service during an official review meeting.

The incident involved Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer serving as Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, and Beenish Wani, a 2015-batch Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer posted as Assistant Director at the Employment and Counselling Centre in Ganderbal.

The confrontation reportedly occurred during a virtual review meeting of Mission YUVA, when Wani was presenting details of the targets achieved by her office.

The disagreement began over the involvement of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in implementing certain activities under the programme.

"Why do you need NRLM? If NRLM had to do this work, why would I give it to AD (Assistant Director)? Why would the CS (chief secretary) give it to me? He would give it to MD (Managing Director) NRLM," Ranjan asked during the meeting.

Wani, who was participating through video conferencing, attempted to clarify that NRLM had been engaged as a supporting agency.

However, the senior officer allegedly interrupted her repeatedly, raising his voice and ordering her to "shut up".

As Wani insisted on explaining her position, Ranjan allegedly used the words "bloody shit" while addressing her.

"I can always talk like that. I am your boss, stupid," Ranjan was heard saying in the purported video.

When Wani objected to being addressed in such language, the IAS officer allegedly directed another woman official present in his office to prepare an order suspending her.

"It is fine, you can suspend," Wani responded.

The confrontation escalated further, with Wani allegedly telling the senior officer "to hell with you" as he continued reprimanding her.

Ranjan then reportedly instructed his subordinate to include Wani's remarks in the proposed suspension order and initiate steps for her removal from service.

"Record this and write to the GAD how she should be thrown out of the service," he said.

Neither Ranjan nor Wani was available for comment on the incident.

The purported video has triggered criticism from the JKAS fraternity, which condemned the alleged public humiliation of Wani and demanded an independent investigation into the senior officer's conduct.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the fraternity said that while it fully supports administrative accountability and performance reviews, such responsibilities do not give senior officials the right to intimidate or humiliate their subordinates.

It maintained that abusive language and threats have no place in official proceedings, irrespective of the hierarchy involved.

The association also alleged that the incident was not an isolated occurrence, claiming that Ranjan had previously used "unparliamentary and demeaning language" while discharging his official duties.

The controversy deepened after the department reportedly sought to dismiss the circulating video as fabricated using artificial intelligence.

"More disturbing is the department's subsequent attempt to dismiss the circulating video as AI-generated and fabricated. The video is authentic, as testified by the officer herself and other officials who were present during the virtual meeting," the statement said.

The fraternity further criticised the administrative response, alleging that the matter could have been resolved through an apology and appropriate corrective measures.

Instead, it accused the senior officer of worsening the situation by issuing a clarification that "raises further questions about accountability and professional ethics".

The JKAS fraternity urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dullo and the General Administration Department to order an impartial inquiry into both the alleged misconduct and the subsequent departmental clarification.

It also sought assurances that Wani would not face any retaliatory action for objecting to the language used against her.

The association demanded a public apology from Ranjan and recommended disciplinary proceedings against him for allegedly abusing a fellow officer and "misusing" his official position to issue a false statement.

It emphasised that administrative discipline must be based on mutual respect, fairness and accountability rather than intimidation.

The incident also drew a sharp reaction from National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, whose office criticised the IAS officer's alleged conduct in a post on X.

"That's how a senior IAS officer in J&K - Administrative Secretary, Labour & Employment - dealt with a woman KAS officer who wouldn't be shouted down in front of a room full of officers," the post said.

"This is a grown man with a Secretary's chair threatening a woman's career because she asked to be allowed to finish a sentence," it added.

Mehdi's office also linked the incident to the political and administrative changes in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.

"This is what abrogation of Art 370 has brought upon us. An assault on dignity at every level. Even the officers in administration behave like conquerors.@OfficeOfLGJandK @DullooAtal - if she is touched for holding her dignity, it will have consequences," the post said.

Meanwhile, Ranjan is already facing scrutiny in separate corruption-related investigations.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is examining his alleged role in irregularities involving the issuance of thousands of arms licences to non-residents in Jammu and Kashmir during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara.

A disproportionate assets case was also registered against Ranjan and members of his family last year.

The allegations in these cases remain subject to investigation, and no finding of guilt has been established in the supplied report.