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Tribal Welfare Officer facing probe reinstated
THE STATE government has re-instated S K Sharma who was suspended as the Indore district organiser at Tribal Welfare Department last year. Sharma, was recently made the project officer at Bagli (Dhar district) in the same department, is facing charges of financial irregularities.
THE STATE government has re-instated S K Sharma who was suspended as the Indore district organiser at Tribal Welfare Department last year. Sharma, was recently made the project officer at Bagli (Dhar district) in the same department, is facing charges of financial irregularities.
Interestingly, the departmental inquiry is still on against him for past three months and may take another few months to be completed. The proceedings against the official, however, began six months back.
The government’s order for re-instatement comes in wake of a notion that it is best to use the services of a suspended official who is paid for 75 per cent of allowances (after six months of suspension) instead of allowing him to receive his dues with no work.
This has become the norm in last few years where suspended officials are assigned more or less similar responsibilities, though after a transfer from the place of suspension.
The inquiry against Sharma began three months back and as per regulations it should be completed with this tenure. Inquiry Officer and Tribal Welfare deputy commissioner M S Maravi said that there could be delays due to lack of evidence. “It will depend on the availability of witness and the statements they make,” he told Hindustan Times.
The major charges Sharma faces include making advance payment of Rs 8.22 lakh to his four officials for disbursement for which there is no justification. The state treasury on verification found that he kept cash balance of Rs 4.33 lakh on March 31, 2004, though this account should remain nil on the last day of financial year-end.
Thirdly, he did not maintain register for bank drafts issued by the department nor there was any record or register prepared for the books purchased for Rs 6 lakh.
More importantly, he drew general provident fund of Rs 1.43 lakh on January 7, 2003 and withheld it till February 16, 2004 after which it was disbursed. The additional charges made against him too are under scrutiny.
The department had earned notoriety during his tenure when Mohammed Suleman was the District Collector. The department office at the Collectorate would turn into a joint for wine and dinner after 6.30 pm.
After its exposure in the media and complaints made at Bhopal, the suspension of Sharma followed while area organiser Ranjana Singh, who worked under him, was promoted as district organiser to Ujjain.
