Errant Indian envoy goes on leave

India's High Commissioner to New Zealand refused to obey recall order.

India's High Commissioner to New Zealand Harish Kumar Dogra, who had refused to obey a recall order for over a month, has handed over charge to the Deputy Chief of Mission and proceeded on leave till Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran retires in September.

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Dogra has communicated about handing over of the charge to Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran in a letter after the government issued an ultimatum to him to hand over his charge and return, official sources said in New Delhi on Saturday.

The career-diplomat of the rank of Secretary, however, has refused to return and decided to go on leave till "Foreign Secretary retires (in September this year)," they said.

He has sought some time to leave his official residence and return to New Delhi, the sources said.

The envoy's recall was ordered in the first week of March but he refused to obey.

He had sent an eight-page letter to Saran accusing him of committing "improriety" and asking him to prove charges against him or resign.

In the second letter to Saran, Dogra again accused the Foreign Secretary of violating the rules and his human rights and challenged him to prove charges against him.

In the meantime, Dogra has approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking redressal of his grievances.

Contending that he was an upright officer who had done no wrong, he has alleged that the decision to recall him was taken in an "arbitrary manner" and no reasons had been cited for the action.