Kashmir: JKAS Officer Arrested on Court’s Directions Over Non-Compliance in Execution Case

SRINAGAR: Police on Wednesday arrested a senior Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer, Mohammad Rouf Rehman, currently serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Verinag Development Authority, following directions issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Anantnag.

The arrest was carried out in compliance with an order passed by Sub-Judge Anantnag, Feroz Ahmad Khan, in Execution Petition No. 147/EP (Case No. 133/2023) titled Hamidullah Bawani vs Union Territory of JK and Others. The court directed that the officer be taken into judicial custody till October 15, 2025, and produced before the court via video conferencing on that date.

According to officials, police took custody of Rehman earlier in the day and escorted him to a local hospital for a mandatory medical examination before lodging him as per procedure.

The arrest follows a series of court directions over alleged non-compliance by the officer in implementing a decree linked to a National Lok Adalat award. The case dates back to March 14, 2015, when an award was passed in favour of decree holder Hamidullah Bawani, a resident of Mir Maidan, Dooru, represented by Advocate Fayaz Ahmad Sodagar. The petitioner later sought enforcement of a subsequent order issued on November 17, 2018.

Court records show that on September 9, the Sub-Judge had expressed strong displeasure at the officer’s failure to comply with the earlier directions, noting that the CEO “had not even bothered to reply to the show cause notice issued by virtue of order dated 04.03.2025.” The order observed that despite being served with the notice, “no cause has been furnished by Judgment Debtor No. 4, which implies that he has no cause to show as to why he shall not be arrested and detained in a civil prison.”

During proceedings last month, counsel representing the Deputy Commissioner and Collector Land Acquisition, Anantnag—arrayed as Judgment Debtors No. 2 and 3—submitted that it was the CEO, as Judgment Debtor No. 4, who was responsible for depositing or making the payment as per the court’s decree. Accepting this submission, the court ruled that Rehman was indeed the officer required to comply with the payment order.

However, continued non-compliance prompted the court to take stringent measures. In September, the court ordered the attachment of the Verinag Development Authority’s Treasury account (Head No. SN.72) maintained with the Treasury at Dooru, directing the Treasury Officer not to entertain any bills related to that account. Additionally, a bailable warrant of Rs 50,000 was issued against the CEO, with instructions to the Station House Officer, Verinag, for its execution.