CM Manohar Lal Khattar ‘drops’ chargesheet against agri dept officer hours before retirement

Three days before an additional director of agriculture department retired on December 31, chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar “dropped” the disciplinary proceedings against the official and gave him one-year extension in service, according to official records.

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A key element of the re-employment policy, which the state government had rolled out in May 2018, is that there should be no pending disciplinary action against the employee seeking re-employment. The government had also decided to give re-employment to employees of the departments involved in law and order, work of administrative importance, infrastructure development and public service.

As per file noting of this case, director agriculture had pointed out that superannuation of Rajbir Singh Chahal, additional director (agriculture engineering), will not create any serious situation that could affect the smooth functioning of the department. Recommending the retirement of the officer at 58, the department recorded in the file that disciplinary proceedings were also pending against Chahal.

While sending the proposal to retire Chahal on December 31, 2019 and his case about extension in service to agriculture minister Jai Parkash Dalal for final decision, secretary (agriculture) Ajit Balaji Joshi recommended: “In the light of above noting, the matter may be filed and no extension may be given to RS Chahal.”

Sources say agriculture minister Dalal was pushing Chahal’s case after which the chief minister “dropped the draft chargesheet” against Chahal on December 24. “Dropping the disciplinary proceedings pending against Chahal was imperative to pave the way for his extension,” a government functionary said.

However, Chahal said the chargesheet was based on baseless allegations. “The chargesheet was bound to be dropped sooner or later,” Chahal said. “It was a tool to harass me at the time of retirement,” he added.

Chahal said he had superannuated and is not interested in re-employment. “I did not seek extension in service. I have retired and have received all my retirement benefits. I am not aware that there is a move to re-employ me. I have no intention to join service again,” he said.

As per official records, after the CM dropped the chargesheet, the agriculture minister “recommended to grant” Chahal one-year extension in service after superannuation. On December 27, agriculture department sought approval of the chief minister.

“CM has seen. He has approved...,” Rajesh Khullar, principal secretary to CM, wrote on the file a day after receiving the proposal from agriculture minister.

Khullar’s noting, however, also mentioned that CM’s approval was subject to “it being as per policy...and the prescribed procedure...”

While giving nod for extension in service, the CM office specifically mentioned that this approval was subject to condition that it will not adversely affect the promotion prospects of Chahal’s juniors.

In its previous term, the government had set up a cabinet sub-committee to examine the issue of retirement age of officials and fixed tenure of heads of department. The departments identify classes or categories of officials whose services are essential while ensuring that it does not adversely affect promotional avenues of junior or other officials.