- Senior IAS officer accused of verbally abusing subordinate.
- Department claims viral video is AI-generated manipulation.
- Incident sparks political outcry, demand for inquiry.
J-K News: A massive row erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after a senior IAS officer was accused of abusing his subordinate during a meeting. As per a purported video, Rajeev Ranjan, administrative secretary, Department of Labour and Employment of the Jammu and Kashmir government, called a junior official "bloody shit" in a virtual meeting. Upon being objected by the victim, Ranjan allegedly stated that he can say whatever he wants.
JK Row: Video Goes Viral
As per the purported video, Ranjan is seen upset over some alleged incomplete work by Beenish Wani, a JKAS officer. The senior official asked Wani to submit her response in writing, further accusing her of neglecting the necessary works. However, the junior officer objected to his tone and asked why he was shouting. Ranjan further told her to "shut up" and that she was a "bloody shit".
‘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 Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) October 15, 2026
Ranjan also abruptly asked her to leave the meeting, further asking another junior official to issue a suspension notice against her. Wani later told reporters that the incident happened during a review meeting earlier on Wednesday, adding that she has raised the issue with senior authorities.
Labour Department's Clarification
In a clarification statement, the labour department stated that the video being circulated on the social media is AI-generated, adding that it was created with "digital manipulation" techniques. "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," the department added.
Political Backlash
The alleged incident has been criticised by the politicians from all the leading political parties, demanding a detailed probe and strict action into the matter. Apart from this, JKAS officers have also condemned the alleged verbal abuse, further seeking an inquiry. "The video is authentic, as testified by the officer herself and other officials who were present during the virtual meeting," it said in the statement.