The Delhi High Court has issued notices to a retired IAS officer and digital platforms in a defamation suit filed by former J&K Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta. Mehta disputes allegations of a “Jal Jeevan Mission scam” made by Ashok Kumar Parmar, citing a lack of documentary evidence and contradicting official inquiries. Representative image NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has issued notices to retired IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar and several digital platforms in a defamation suit filed by former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta over Parmar’s public allegations of corruption relating to Jal Jeevan Mission implementation in the Union territory. The Rs 2.55 crore civil defamation suit disputes claims by Parmar, who was principal secretary in J&K in charge of Jal Jeevan Mission in 2022, of a “Jal Jeevan Mission scam,” in which he had cited figures ranging from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 14, 000 crore, without backing these with any documents. He had sought to link the purported irregularities to Mehta, who as then chief secretary was his boss. Parmar claimed to have written to various agencies, including the CBI, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, J&,K regarding the alleged scam. He even shared information regarding these purported letters with the media. Four news websites that published his allegations have also been named as defendants in the defamation case filed by Mehta.RTI queries filed by Mehta with the CBI, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, J&K, elicited replies from each denying the receipt of any complaint from Parmar.According to Mehta’s plaint, every institutional check has contradicted the allegations made by Parmar. The Anti-Corruption Bureau of J&K examined all claims and found none substantiated, reporting no departures from procedure in tendering, execution, payments, or supervision. An RTI response from the Jal Shakti Department too did not confirm any irregularity on record.The plaint states that a large-scale scam was structurally impossible under the digital governance architecture introduced in J&K, which includes BEAMS for real-time financial transparency, end-to-end e-Tendering, PaySys for digital payments, PROOF for geo-tagged photo verification, mandatory physical checks, and public dashboards — all of which generate a continuous audit trail. It further notes that the chief secretary has no role in contract approvals, which are handled exclusively by contract committees.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav has issued notice to all defendants and listed the matter for February 3, 2026, when arguments on Mehta’s plea for an interim injunction will be heard. The court will next examine the evidentiary foundation of the allegations and the claim of reputational harm.About the AuthorBharti JainBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosHow Russia May Open Central Asia For India As West Pushes Harder: Kugelman Explains The Power ShiftAviation Meltdown Escalates As IndiGo Cancels 400 Flights And Government Enforces Fare ControlsUS Singer Calls PM Modi World’s Top Leader, Warns Washington To Recalibrate Its India Strategy FastEx-Pentagon Official Says Asim Munir Must Be Arrested As He Slams US Policy, Calls For India ApologyAfter Rajnath’s Babri Remark, Sonia Targets BJP In Fiery Counterattack Over Maligning Nehru LegacyMurshidabad Tense as Humayun Kabir Faces Heat Over ‘Babri Masjid’ Foundation and Heavy DeploymentEx-Pentagon Official Credits Trump For India-Russia Bonhomie, Calls His India Policy HypocriticalShashi Tharoor’s Presence At Putin Dinner Sparks Congress Outrage Over Rahul, Kharge Missing Invite’Grow Together’: In Parting Speech, Putin Adopts PM Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ Mantra”Next Year in Russia…” Deputy PM Manturov Urges Indian Companies to Expand Bilateral Trade123PhotostoriesWant toned thighs? 7 workouts that work wonders on heavy thighsMaharashtra’s bold transformation drive: Dombivli rises with next-gen sports arenas and iconic civic projectsPumpkin health benefits: Why this humble veggie is a perfect winter superfoodFun Christmas traditions to make your holiday season extra special7 adorable cat breeds that will steal your heart in seconds!‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, ‘Highway’, ‘Kedarnath’: Movies that will inspire your next mountain getawaySonam Kapoor stuns in double Banarasi Kadhwa border saree: Is this the most iconic pregnancy saree look ever?IndiGo Flight Chaos at IGI: Family Stranded, Terminals Jammed, Passengers Wait Hours, Fares Surge, No Clear UpdatesWhat is the Portfolio diet, what does it comprise and how it helps the heart8 quick, high-protein breakfasts as recommended by a top gastroenterologist123Hot PicksIndigo Flight DelayPutin India VisitWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingDelhi Student MurderDelhi Airport AdvisoryIndigo Flight CancellationCandace OwensAryna Sabalenka Net WorthHow to get danny Phantom in FortniteTravis KelceJohn Cena FinalJEE Advanced Exam DateDDA RecruitmentExam Schedule
NEW DELHI: The Delhi high court has issued notices to retired IAS officer Ashok Kumar Parmar and several digital platforms in a defamation suit filed by former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta over Parmar’s public allegations of corruption relating to Jal Jeevan Mission implementation in the Union territory. The Rs 2.55 crore civil defamation suit disputes claims by Parmar, who was principal secretary in J&K in charge of Jal Jeevan Mission in 2022, of a “Jal Jeevan Mission scam,” in which he had cited figures ranging from Rs 1,000 crore to Rs 14, 000 crore, without backing these with any documents. He had sought to link the purported irregularities to Mehta, who as then chief secretary was his boss. Parmar claimed to have written to various agencies, including the CBI, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, J&,K regarding the alleged scam. He even shared information regarding these purported letters with the media. Four news websites that published his allegations have also been named as defendants in the defamation case filed by Mehta.RTI queries filed by Mehta with the CBI, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the Bureau of Public Enterprises, J&K, elicited replies from each denying the receipt of any complaint from Parmar.According to Mehta’s plaint, every institutional check has contradicted the allegations made by Parmar. The Anti-Corruption Bureau of J&K examined all claims and found none substantiated, reporting no departures from procedure in tendering, execution, payments, or supervision. An RTI response from the Jal Shakti Department too did not confirm any irregularity on record.The plaint states that a large-scale scam was structurally impossible under the digital governance architecture introduced in J&K, which includes BEAMS for real-time financial transparency, end-to-end e-Tendering, PaySys for digital payments, PROOF for geo-tagged photo verification, mandatory physical checks, and public dashboards — all of which generate a continuous audit trail. It further notes that the chief secretary has no role in contract approvals, which are handled exclusively by contract committees.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav has issued notice to all defendants and listed the matter for February 3, 2026, when arguments on Mehta’s plea for an interim injunction will be heard. The court will next examine the evidentiary foundation of the allegations and the claim of reputational harm.
