A senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer has landed in a major controversy after a video of him allegedly 'abusing ' a woman Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) officer during an official virtual meeting went viral on social media, triggering massive outrage.
The officer has been identified as Kumar Rajeev Ranjan, Secretary of the Labour & Employment Department in Jammu and Kashmir, while the woman officer has been identified as JKAS officer Beenish Wani, Assistant Director, Employment.
According to sources, the incident took place during a review meeting of Mission YUVA - convened to assess progress of the flagship national rural mission (NRLM) scheme.
In the video, which is now being widely circulated, Ranjan can be heard losing his temper and shouting at Wani, allegedly calling her "bloody s***" and asserting "I am your boss."
When contacted, Wani confirmed that the incident had taken place. She clarified that the video was neither morphed nor AI-generated. Despite suffering a fracture in her foot and being on leave, she said she had attended the meeting from home via virtual mode.
"Dignity of a woman should be protected. No one can treat us like that," she said.
When contacted, Ranjan said if he had said something in the heat of the moment, he was sorry.
He said despite repeatedly asking the lady officer to keep quiet, she kept provoking him.
"If we will not even question officers, then how will we hold review meetings and fix responsibility?" he asked.
He alleged that Wani had used words like "hell with you"
"Tell me, in such a situation, how will the hierarchy function when a junior officer starts using such language for you?" asked Ranjan, adding, "To understand the full context of the heated argument, please go through the entire video of the one-hour meeting before jumping to any conclusion."
Following the incident, the Department of Labour and Employment, Jammu and Kashmir, issued a clarification regarding the clips circulating on social media.
The Department reiterated that mutual respect, discipline and professional decorum are essential in official interactions, and that all officers and officials are expected to maintain due respect towards their seniors while discharging their official duties. It also emphasised that provocative remarks and inappropriate language have no place in professional administrative engagements, which must remain guided by mutual respect, restraint and institutional dignity.
Expressing regret over the developments surrounding the meeting, the Department stated that the circulation of selectively edited video clips by certain social media handles, without the complete context of the proceedings, was a matter of concern. It reiterated that the clips being circulated are unverified and that selective editing of internal administrative discussions may create a misleading impression of the actual proceedings.
The Department further stated that the matter would be taken to its logical conclusion in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations.