On the day Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah completed two years in office, he remained busy tackling massive backlash, especially on social media, after a video of an official meeting chaired by an IAS officer, Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, went viral, in which he is seen hurling abuses at a woman Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer.
Taking serious note of the alleged verbal abuse of a woman JKAS officer, Omar shot off a letter to the Chief Secretary, Atul Dullo, to ensure that she does not face retaliatory action. Omar reacted promptly as the Interim Body of the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) Association called a one-day pen-down strike to protest the alleged humiliation of a woman officer during an official meeting on October 14.
In New Delhi, the National Commission for Women (NCW) also took suo motu cognisance of a viral video allegedly showing a senior IAS officer verbally abusing, humiliating and threatening a junior woman officer, Beenish Wani, during an official review meeting in Srinagar.
The Commission said in a statement that its chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, had written to the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, seeking verification of the video and an impartial inquiry into the allegations.
The NCW has also called for appropriate disciplinary and legal action if it establishes the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered an inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan and JKAS officer Beenish Wani, appointing Mandeep Kaur, IAS, as the Inquiry Officer.
According to Government Order No. 1654-JK(GAD) of 2026, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on October 16, Mandeep Kaur, IAS (AGMUT: 2004), Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Housing and Urban Development Department, has been appointed to conduct the inquiry.
The inquiry follows reports in print and electronic media regarding an alleged incident involving Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, IAS (AGMUT: 2010), Administrative Secretary, Labour and Employment Department, and Beenish Wani, JKAS, Assistant Director, Employment, Ganderbal.
The Government has directed the Inquiry Officer to complete the inquiry and submit her report within 15 days of the issuance of the order.
Sharing his angst, Omar posted on X, “Had J&K been a state, the IAS officer seen abusing a young JKAS officer would have been attached to the General Administration Department pending an inquiry into his conduct”. “As a UT, we expect the authorities with control over the IAS officers to set the right example & ensure abusive, threatening behaviour is not brushed under the carpet”, Omar wrote further.
The abusive behaviour of the IAS officer came to light after a purported video showing IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan hurling abuses at a woman Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer during an official meeting went viral on Thursday.
The incident reportedly took place during a Mission YUVA review meeting chaired by Ranjan, Administrative Secretary of the Labour and Employment Department, at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
The woman officer, Beenish Wani, a 2015-batch JKAS officer posted as Assistant Director at the Employment and Counselling Centre in Ganderbal, was attending the meeting virtually.
According to the video circulating on social media, the discussion turned ugly when Ranjan questioned Wani about the role of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) in her department’s work.
As Beenish Wani attempted to explain her department’s position, Ranjan repeatedly interrupted her and asked her to stop speaking.
“Why do you need NRLM? If others are going to do this, do you only have to write letters? And you will seek the medal. They are just a helping tool; they have never been the main authority,” Ranjan said, as per the video.
In response, Wani said that the NRLM was not the main authority but was needed to assist them. Her response appeared to anger Ranjan, who told her to “shut up” and stop speaking.
Wani asked him to let her explain her position and asked why he was shouting at her. “Madam, will you keep quiet or not?” Ranjan shouted, adding, “How dare you talk to me like this?”
He then told the officer, “You are bloody shit. I can always talk to you like this.” Wani retorted that he could not call her “shit”. During the meeting, Ranjan also turned to another officer and asked for an order suspending Wani. “Get out,” he told Wani.
Wani responded, “To hell with you,” and left the meeting.
Wani later lodged a complaint of harassment with the senior Government officials against Ranjan and sought action against him.
The JKAS fraternity condemned the alleged verbal abuse, personal insults and public humiliation of the woman officer. It said administrative accountability and performance monitoring could not justify abusive language, intimidation or misconduct by a supervisory authority.
It called for an independent technical examination of the footage and an impartial inquiry into both the incident and the department’s subsequent clarification.
The association urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and the General Administration Department to ensure Wani faced no retaliation.
It also demanded a public apology from Ranjan and recommended disciplinary proceedings over his alleged conduct.
The Labour and Employment Department has said the clips circulating on social media are selectively edited and do not present the full context of the meeting. It has maintained that the National Informatics Centre (NIC) has the complete recording.
The competing claims have intensified calls to examine the full recording to establish the circumstances surrounding the exchange.
Ranjan, a 2010-batch IAS officer, has also faced CBI investigations in separate cases. These include an investigation into alleged irregularities in the issuance of arms licences in Jammu and Kashmir during 2012-2016 and a 2025 case concerning alleged assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
PDP Chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also demanded strict action against the IAS officer. She posted on X, “Such erratic and disdainful conduct cannot be tolerated. CM OmarAbdullah must immediately take up the matter with the Government of India and demand strict action against the officer who is already facing allegations of issuing illegal gun licences.”
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said he felt ashamed after watching a video of an IAS officer misbehaving with a woman officer, calling his conduct unbecoming of a senior administrative official.
Abdullah said the language used by the officer was unacceptable and reflected a lack of the discipline and professionalism expected of an IAS officer. “The language he used with the woman officer was extremely inappropriate. He should be reprimanded. This shows that he lacks the manners and conduct expected of an officer,” he said.