13 Years on Fake Appointment Order: J&K Education Dept Declares Employee's Appointment Null and Void

It sounds incredible but is true. An employee of the Jammu and Kashmir Education Department received a salary for 13 long years on the basis of a fake appointment order. Not only did the employee draw a salary on the basis of the purported appointment order, but he was also promoted during his service.

The Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, has declared the alleged appointment of Imtiyaz Ahmed, a resident of Rawalpora, Srinagar, to the School Education Department in 2013 as null and void.

A departmental inquiry revealed that the orders relating to his appointment, confirmation and promotion in 2018, as mentioned in his service records, were not actually issued by the competent authority.

According to the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, Order No. 347-DSEK dated September 3, 2026, Imtiyaz Ahmed was shown as a teacher at Boys Middle School, Gagribal, in the Nishat area of Srinagar. However, he had remained absent from duty without permission since February 21, 2024.

Claim of appointment as laboratory assistant in 2013

Departmental records showed that Imtiyaz Ahmed had been appointed as a laboratory assistant on the basis of Government Order No. 395-GAD dated April 2, 2013. The records also contained a purported confirmation order issued by the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, on April 3, 2013.

Subsequently, his service records indicated that he had been promoted to the post of teacher under Order No. 1004-DSEK dated July 30, 2018.

However, when the department compared these orders with its official records, it found that no such appointment, confirmation or promotion order had been issued by the competent authority.

Imtiyaz's absence brings matter to light

The matter came to the department's attention when Imtiyaz Ahmed did not return to school after the 2023-24 winter vacation. According to the order, he had remained continuously absent from duty without permission since February 21, 2024.

The Regional Education Officer, Nishat, issued a show-cause notice to him on May 31, 2024, asking him to return to duty within seven days. However, according to the department, he did not respond to the notice.

Subsequently, the Chief Education Officer, Srinagar, informed the Directorate about the matter on October 15, 2024. The Directorate then initiated an investigation into his service records and conducted a detailed inquiry into his alleged appointment and prolonged absence from duty.

Investigating officer submits report

Through Order No. 65-DSEK dated February 16, 2026, the Directorate appointed the Chief Education Officer, Srinagar, as the investigating officer. He was asked to investigate the circumstances surrounding Imtiyaz Ahmed's alleged appointment and his prolonged absence from duty.

The investigating officer submitted his report to the Directorate on April 25, 2026.

After examining the report, the Directorate issued a final notice to Imtiyaz Ahmed on June 19, 2026. He was asked to appear before the Directorate in person within 15 days and produce the alleged original appointment and promotion orders, along with his educational certificates.

Ahmed claims he was deceived

According to the order, in response to the final notice, Imtiyaz Ahmed stated that he had been misled by some people into a fraudulent and irregular process. He also stated that he had left the job in 2023.

After examining the available records and the inquiry report, the Directorate concluded that his entry into the School Education Department was fraudulent and non-existent in the eyes of law.

Court decisions also cited

In its order, the Directorate cited various judgments of the Supreme Court and the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The order states that if a person's appointment itself is found to be fraudulent and non-existent in the eyes of law, it is not necessary for the employer to conduct a regular departmental inquiry to terminate such an appointment.

In this regard, the Directorate specifically cited the judgement dated December 2, 2022, in CSA No. 13/2004, Mahmuda vs Government of Jammu and Kashmir and Others.

Appointment declared invalid after 13 years

Based on these findings, the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir, declared Imtiyaz Ahmed's alleged appointment in the School Education Department null and void.

The order also states that any financial or other benefits received by him from the department on the basis of the alleged appointment shall be recovered from him.

The most significant aspect of the case is that the alleged appointment was made in 2013 and the alleged promotion took place in 2018. Despite this, the matter formally came under investigation only after his prolonged absence from duty in 2024.