Incomplete Justice: The Case of a Unani Doctor Who Lost His Job to a Fraudster.
Recently, the Crime Branch of Jammu & Kashmir Police produced a charge sheet against a Ganderbal resident who had obtained a fake class 12th marks certificate to get admission in Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery or the BUMS course. This degree paved a way for him to get a job in the Health Department of J&K Government under the centrally sponsored scheme National Health Mission-NHM. Infact, this fake Unani Doctor has already been dismissed from service by the Government.
However, only incomplete justice has been done in this case. The case is far from settled as the aggrieved Unani doctor who was supposed to get this job hasn’t gotten it even after 10 years have passed already. Dr Zaffar Shaheen, a qualified BUMS graduate, who was eligible to get a job under RBSK programme in district Ganderbal was bypassed by the district level selection committee and a candidate who hadn’t even passed his class 12th and had furnished fake documents was given this job.
The aggrieved Unani doctor Zaffar Shaheen didn’t surrender to the decision. He fought for justice until the fake BUMS doctor was finally exposed.
Background
In 2013, the Government had invited applications for the appointment of Medical Officers (Ayush) for Rashtriya Bal Swastha Kariakram — RBSK under National Health Mission -NHM for block Kangan in district Ganderbal.
After the selection process by the district level selection committee headed by Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, one Shahid Ul Islam, a resident of Preng Ganderbal was appointed to the aforementioned position. The then Chief Medical Officer-CMO Ganderbal under the order No. 08 DRSHG of 2014 dated 20-01-2014 issued orders of appointment in favour of the accused. This person had obtained a BUMS degree from the Institute of Asian Medical Sciences J&K associated with the University of Kashmir. The said doctor also managed to get himself registered as a Medical Practitioner from the Board of Ayurvedic/ Unani System of Medicine J&K.
Dr Zaffar Shaheen who hails from Manigam Ganderbal had also applied for the said position in pursuance to advertisement notification issued on 13-10-2013 in Srinagar based newspapers. Despite good merit, Zaffar was dropped and Shahid Ul Islam was selected fraudulently. This was later on authenticated by the Mission Director National Health Mission J&K and Kashmir University as well and now the same has been proved by the Crime Branch of J&K Police also. This author has filed a detailed video report on this whole story last year in our weekly Inkishaf programme which finally prompted the Govt and Kashmir University to take action against Shahid ul Islam the fake BUMS doctor.
The appointment of Shahid Ul Islam was possible only after he obtained the degree certificate issued by the Institute of Asian Medical Sciences J&K, Zakura Srinagar.
The completion of BUMS degree as a regular student and the compulsory Rotatory Internship of one year was totally doubtful.
Zaffar Shaheen had moved an application against the selection of Shahid ul Islam especially questioning his compulsory rotatory internship. The certificate issued by the Institute of Asian Medical Sciences, Zakura under serial number 191 dated 29-08-2013 was showing that Shahid ul Islam did his internship in various Institutes without seeking any permissions. He also produced a certificate of experience showing that he had worked on a voluntary basis from Oct 2009 to Oct 2012 at a local Primary Health Centre-PHC in Nunar Ganderbal and gained experience. The fact is that he was a regular student in Asian Medical Institute Zakura Srinagar until June 2010 when he appeared for BUMS final exams. The representation filed before CMO Ganderbal went to DC Ganderbal who directed the CMO to take legal action against Shahid ul Islam and relieve him from the job but the then CMO Ganderbal allegedly gave clearance to the accused and he continued to remain working and during this time he also mislead court of law as well and obtained some relief by suppressing the facts about his fake academic certificates.
From 2014 onwards, aggrieved job aspirant Dr Zaffar Shaheen produced documentary proof by obtaining information under RTI from different institutions, Govt offices and J&K School Board. Zaffar Shaheen got details of his internship certificate, class 12th certificate which turned out to be fake and fictitious.
The class XII (10+2) marks card submitted by Shahid ul Islam for getting provisional registration from Board of Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicine and them subsequent employment as Medical Officer in NHM indicated that he has passed 10+ 2 examination in the annual session of year 2003 J&K Board of school Education and had secured 305 out to 600 marks.
Fake 10 +2 certificate
The information obtained under RTI by Dr Zaffar Shaheen (aggrieved BUMS doctor) from J&K Board of School Education -BOSE revealed that one Parveena Bano D/o Mohammad Younis Raina bearing Registration No. K-99-52358-5058 had appeared as a candidate in the annual Regular Session for Class-12th in the year 2003 and had failed to pass the examination, the result that has been declared against this roll number “reappear, GE, PS”. The information was received by Dr Zaffar Shaheen from the Public Information Officer -PIO JKBOSE Kashmir Division under communication No. F766(Inf./RT)B/KD/21 dated 03.12.2021.
On the basis on this information the only conclusion that could be drawn was that Shahid ul Islam had obtained admission in the BUMS Degree course at Institute of Asian Medical Sciences Zakura Srinagar on the basis of a forged, fake 10+2 marks card. The said person had never qualified the 10+2 examination which is an essential requirement for the admission in BUMS course.
It took Dr Zaffar Shaheen over 6 years to get these details and in December 2021 a representation was made to the Registrar University of Kashmir, Registrar Board of Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicine and also to the Secretary J&K Board of School Education. A representation was also sent to Mission Director J&K National Health Mission -NHM who had assured that they will inquire into the matter and take appropriate action.
Conclusion
The Mission Director J&K National Health Mission already has terminated the services of Shahid ul Islam vide order No 178 of 2022 dated 12/10/2022 and Controller of Examinations University of Kashmir also cancelled his BUMS degree through a notification issued under official letter No:F(BUMS-Certs-Exams)Ku/23 dated 26/04/2023. In addition, the Crime Branch of J&K police has also been investigating this case for several years and they have now filed a detailed charge sheet before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Ganderbal against the accused Shahid ul Islam under FIR No. 17/2023 for his involvement in commission of offences punishable under section 420,465,468,471,201 of Indian Penal Code -IPC.
However, is this complete justice? Will the Government now provide the job to Dr Zaffar Shaheen for which he was entitled 10 years back? Is this the precedent we are setting for future aspirants? Why must an applicant suffer due to the malpractices of other candidates and the government hiring agencies’ negligence?
Zaffar should not only be appointed as Medical Officer (Ayush) under NHM (RBSK) with full honor and dignity but the Govt must also provide him with 10 years worth of salary as well. The trial court must take stern action against the fake BUMS doctor and also initiate action against the Govt officials especially the then CMO of Ganderbal.
We must salute the courage and commitment of Dr Zaffar Shaheen for his struggle to unmask a fake doctor in spite all odds. Zaffar Shaheen has not been able to even practice medicine during the last 10 years and suffered huge financial losses and faced mental trauma as well. He has two daughters who are both deaf and mute and that has also been a great family challenge for him. The way Dr Zaffar Shaheen has used RTI law to expose the fake Unani doctor and his fictitious marks sheets and degrees is also highly appreciated. I would request LG Shri Manoj Sinha and Chief Secretary Mr Atul Dulloo to give justice to Dr Zaffar Shaheen.
