Delhi HC Issues Notice on ₹2.55 Cr Defamation Suit by Ex-J&K Chief Secy Over ‘Fabricated Jal Jeevan Mission Scam’

The ₹2.55 crore civil suit, heard by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, accuses Parmar of orchestrating a “malicious and fabricated campaign” accusing Dr. Mehta of corruption and conspiracy in the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme.

The Court has scheduled the injunction hearing for February 3, 2026, and listed the matter before the Registrar on March 9, 2026 for procedural compliance.

According to the plaint, Parmar, who briefly served as Principal Secretary of J&K’s Jal Shakti Department in 2022, launched a vendetta-driven smear campaign after being transferred from his post. He allegedly authored and leaked 26 complaint letters; many never officially filed, to agencies like the CBI and National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), while simultaneously circulating them to select media houses to “malign and humiliate” Dr. Mehta.

The plaint states that RTI responses from the CBI and NCSC confirmed no complaints were ever received, contradicting media claims that investigations were underway. “The letters were written and leaked solely to create a false perception of wrongdoing,” the suit alleges.

The controversy traces back to Parmar’s dismissed petition before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu Bench, where he named both the Lieutenant Governor and Dr. Mehta as respondents. The Tribunal, in its July 16, 2024 order, dismissed the petition as “frivolous and mischievous” and imposed a ₹1 lakh fine on Parmar.

Further bolstering Dr. Mehta’s position, the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), in its final report dated June 25, 2025, declared the corruption allegations “baseless and unsubstantiated.” The ACB concluded that tenders under JJM were allotted transparently to the lowest bidders and found no loss to the state exchequer.

Dr. Mehta’s suit accuses the four media defendants of “recklessly amplifying defamatory claims” without verifying facts. The Wire allegedly published reports referring to a “₹6,000-crore pipe procurement scam” and urging that Dr. Mehta be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act, while Kashmir Life and The Kashmiriyat echoed similar claims citing Parmar as their source.

Calling the allegations “fabricated and vindictive,” the plaint says Parmar’s “scam figures” fluctuated wildly; from ₹1,000 crore to ₹14,000 crore, revealing “no factual basis, only malice.”

Dr. Mehta, a 1988-batch IAS officer, is recognized nationally for his administrative reforms and digital governance initiatives in J&K, including BEAMS, PaySyS, and Janbhagidari. His leadership earned the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration (2023) and multiple other honours.

Claiming the campaign caused “irreparable harm to his reputation built over three and a half decades of unblemished service,” Dr. Mehta seeks ₹2.55 crore in damages and a permanent injunction restraining further defamatory publications.

The prayers sought are:

1. Pass a decree of damages for a sum Rs 2.55 crores against the defendants jointly and severally on account of defamation by defendants in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants in the interest of justice.