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SRINAGAR: A senior IAS officer Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, administrative secretary, Department of Labour & Employment, Govt. of J&K has come under a storm allegedly for calling a woman officer, who was her subordinate as “bloody shit” in a video conference meeting.
The purported video of the meeting has gone viral with political parties from ruling National Conference to Bhartiya Janata Party seeking action against the IAS officer.In purported video Ranjan seems to ask question Beenish Wani a JKAS officer currently posted as Assistant Director Employment Ganderbal about the performance. She said she has written to the deputy commissioner and ADC as NRML district officer has stated that targets couldn’t be achieved and they would not cooperate.
Ranjan asked her to get it in writing. He also said she should have informed him directly that this happened.“Why do you need NRLM if others are doing the work? Do you only have to write letters and seek the medal? They are just a helping tool, not the main authority,” Ranjan is heard saying in the video. Wani replied that NRLM was needed to assist them. Ranjan told her to “shut up.” When Wani asked him to let her explain and questioned why he was shouting, Ranjan responded, “You are bloody shit.
I can always talk to you like this.” Wani objected to being called “shit.” Ranjan then told her to “get out” and asked for an order suspending her to be issued.“To hell with you,” Wani replied.Wani told reporters the incident occurred during a review meeting on Wednesday. She has raised the matter with higher authorities.The labour department has clarified that “it has been brought to notice that a video clip involving the Assistant Director Employment, Ganderbal, and the Secretary, Labour and Employment, is currently in circulation on social media and messaging platforms.”“It is hereby clarified for the general public and media outlets that: 1. AI-Generated Content: The circulating video is entirely AI-generated, fake, and fabricated using digital manipulation techniques. 2. Factual Status: The concerned officer (Assistant Director Employment, Ganderbal) is on leave effective from October 13, 2026, and was not involved in any such interaction as depicted in the video.”In response to it, JKAS officers have condemned the alleged verbal abuse, personal insults and public humiliation of a senior female JKAS officer of the 2015 batch during an official departmental review meeting held (virtually) from the Civil Secretariat, Srinagar, on October 14, 2026.“While the Fraternity unequivocally upholds administrative accountability and performance monitoring, it maintains that no supervisory authority can justify abusive language, intimidation or conduct that undermines the dignity of a serving officer. 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,” JKAS officers said in the statement.“The Fraternity considers it deeply unfortunate that, instead of allowing the matter to conclude with an apology and appropriate institutional corrective action, the Administrative Secretary has allegedly chosen to aggravate the controversy through a public clarification that raises further questions about accountability and professional ethics,” the statement said, adding that the JKAS Fraternity calls upon the Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Secretary and the General Administration Department to order an impartial inquiry into both the original incident and the subsequent departmental clarification; ensure that no retaliatory action is taken against the affected officer; and establish effective safeguards against workplace intimidation and abuse of authority.
The PDP leader Iltija Mufti wrote on Twitter ‘You are bloody shit, I can always talk to you like this’ - Rajeev Ranjan IAS officer abusing & threatening a lady KAS officer. “How dare you use such derogatory demeaning language? Take your god complex & dirty slurs elsewhere. We won’t tolerate this in Kashmir. Since 2019 KAS & competent Kashmiri IAS officers are deliberately being elbowed out. There is a concerted effort to undermine local officers both in administration & police.
Thereby making them subservient to outside officers lording over them. @CM_JnK @manojsinha_ Decency demands this man be suspended immediately. You are quick to fire Kashmiri employees. Hope you use the same yardstick here,” Iltija said.Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said posted the video on twitter and said “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.
He raised his voice. She raised her dignity. He reached for the only weapon a bully in office has: her job. 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.
”National Conference spokesperson Sarah Hayat Shah called the video shocking. “I salute this woman for standing up for herself and for having the courage to call a spade a spade. Shame on this man for his appalling behaviour!”Congress party also sought action against the officer. The BJP has also said that “the language used by the senior bureaucrat towards his subordinate is completely unbecoming of someone holding such a responsible position, and such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable.” “I do not agree with the argument that the incident is more alarming because the officer on the receiving end was a woman. It would have been equally concerning had the subordinate been a male officer,” BJP spokesman said, seeking action against the official.
Ranjan did not answer the phone despite repeated calls.