JOIN USBreaking his silence, Director Health Services (Kashmir) Saleem-ur-Rehman today dismissed the molestation allegations levelled against him by a nurse as "baseless and fabricated" and said he was ready to face any probe to prove his innocence.
"I solemnly pledge and say that the allegations (of molestation and attempt to rape) are fabricated and baseless and I reject these at the very outset. "I am going to file a defamation case against the complainant for irreparable damage to my reputation and dignity," Rehman said in a statement here.
Last week, a nurse, posted in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, lodged a complaint against Rehman and three other officials in Police Station Shaheed Gunj here, alleging that they tried to rape her.
Rehman said he had never called the nurse to his office and instead she paid a visit to the office at a time when around nine other people, including some senior-most officers of the department, were present.
He said the nurse interacted with him in the presence of these people. Rehman said he told her she need not come here and go back to join her duties. "My advice to her was to please go and work sincerely there... I did not move out of my chair and she also left in no time," he said.
"Please tell me which person in his right senses will assault a lady when around 8 to 10 persons, some of them strangers, are witnessing the entire scene. More so, a person, who is a Head of Department and has so much at stake."
The Director said the nurse left the office in a very "amicable and cordial" atmosphere."Her exit along with the exit of other officers who were present in the room is recorded in the CCTV," he said.
As per Departmental records, Rehman said she was posted along with her husband at Sallar hospital in Pahalgam. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association demanded an impartial and independent probe into the matter.
"In view of the serious charges of molestation and the counter charges of conspiracy, we demand a thorough, impartial and independent probe as expeditiously as possible," the Association said in a statement.
It said the High Court should take suo motu cognizance of the matter to prevent "miscarriage of justice" and to find out the truth so that guilty is punished.