E-Paper
Five officers guilty, but one gets punished
EVEN though the Janata Dhoti scam took place about 14 years back, out of five officers involved in the scam, the services of only one officer have been terminated so far. The scam was reported during the financial year 1992-93, and several probes conducted by the department ever since then recommended stern action against those who were involved in it.
EVEN though the Janata Dhoti scam took place about 14 years back, out of five officers involved in the scam, the services of only one officer have been terminated so far.
The scam was reported during the financial year 1992-93, and several probes conducted by the department ever since then recommended stern action against those who were involved in it.
Out of five, three managers — RK Sharma, YK Jain and RP Pal —- continue to serve the Nigam. All three of them have been given plum posts.
While one of the managers, KK Bajpai, opted for VRS (Voluntary Retirement Scheme), the services of another manager MS Ramaligam were terminated long back.
The name of one of the tainted managers RP Pal recently figured in the financial irregularities in connection with the Nigam’s revival plan, and the chairman recommended action against him. Pal is holding the post of Regional Marketing Manager (RMM) Bangalore.
Earlier, the state police’s Economic Offence Wing (EOW), which conducted an inquiry into the Dhoti scam, found all the three serving officers guilty. Sources said the EOW recommended for termination of the services of guilty officers who obtained a stay, from the High Court in June 1999, against their arrest.
The issue was raised before the Ashwashn Samiti of the Assembly, and the corporation, in its reply dated November 20, 2005 stated that all the officers found guilty in the scam would be punished. It also said that department was making efforts to take legal advice from the government counsel of the High Court.
Besides, a case against all the officers was pending with the Lokayukt Prasasan UP, and the managing director of the Handloom Corporation was called to explain the progress of the case. Sources said that the managing director could not visit the office of the Lokayukt due to his pre-occupation.
The sources said that a lot of time was wasted in correspondence between EOW and the department. The EOW is criticising corporation for delay in taking action against the guilty. The EOW officials said that they delayed in presenting the case diary. Again, a new date for review of the case dairy of EOW has been fixed on February 13, 2006 by the corporation.
Talking to HT, corporation MD Shyam Lal said the state government had given permission to prosecute the guilty officials long back. Since the case diary for review was demanded by his predecessors and the same could not be produced to the department by EOW. “Therefore, action could not be taken against them,” he said.
When asked about his call from Lokayukt, he said, “Whatever has been told would be told there too. However, the department was waiting for the presentation of the case diary by EOW, and once the diary is produced, necessary action would be taken from our end.”
