J&K Bank sacks Chief Manager 'in the interest of security of state'

In first of its kind of order, Jammu and Kashmir Bank Saturday dismissed a senior officer from services with immediate effect “in the interest of the security of the State.”

An order issued by the bank reads that Sajad Ahmad Bazaz, Chief Manager, is dismissed from the service with immediate effect.

“The undersigned is satisfied after considering the facts and circumstances of the case contained in the report received from credible agencies, that the activities of Sajad Ahmad Bazaz, Chief Manager, Code no. 4484 posted at Internal Communication and Marketing Department are such as to warrant his dismissal from service under Rule/Provision,” the order issued by the MD of the bank reads.

“Whereas the undersigned is satisfied under Rule/Provision 12.29 in OSM that in the interest of the security of the state, it is not expedient to hold an enquiry in the case of Sajad Ahmad Bazaz, Chief Manager, Code no. 4484. Accordingly, I hereby dismiss Mr Sajad Ahmad Bazaz, Chief Manager, Code no. 4484 from service, with immediate effect,” the order reads.

Sources said Bazaz, who used to write weekly columns about financial matters in a leading local English daily for the last two-decades, was superannuating on August 31, 2023. He is the first J&K Bank employee who has been terminated on alleged terror links.

On July 17, Public Relation Officer (PRO) at Kashmir University, Faheem Aslam, Murawath Hussain Mir, an officer at Revenue Department and Arshid Ahmad Thoker, a constable in J&K police, were terminated on the same charges.

Both Bazaz and Aslam were contributing columns for an influential local English daily for a long-time.

Since 2021, over 50 government employees, including grandson of late Syed Ali Geelani, two sons of Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahudin, and tainted deputy superintendent of J&K police, Davinder Singh, who was chargesheeted by the NIA for providing support to the Hizbul, have been sacked by the government over alleged terror links.