Rtd. DySP avails remuneration from JKCA during service, Home dept. orders probe
The Jammu and Kashmir Home Department on Thursday appointed Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Hemant Kumar Lohiaas Inquiry officer to probe the charges framed against then Assistant Commandant, Home Guards, Samba (now Retd. Dy.SP.)Sudershan Mehta for allegedly drawing remuneration from JKCA while working with police department.
The inquiry has been initiated on the basis of complaint that DySP Mehta availed the benefits of remuneration while serving in Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, JKCA, as Joint Secretary and his service misconduct. It is also alleged in the complaint, reportedly lodged by one Desh Rattan Dubey, that he had held the office in the Sports Association without the permission from the competent authority.
“In terms of Rule 33 of J&K Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, Hemant Kumar Lohia, IPS, Commandant General, HG/CD/SDRF, J&K, is hereby appointed as Inquiry Officer to conduct an inquiry into the charges framed against Sudershan Mehta, the then Assistant Commandant, Home Guards, Samba (now Retd. Dy.SP.).Further, Rajesh Bali, JKPS, AIG(CIV), PHQ, J&K shall be the Presenting Officer. The Inquiry Officer shall complete the enquiry and submit his report/ recommendations to the Home Department within a period of thirty days from the date of issue of this order”, said the order issued by Raj Kumar Goel, IAS,Financial Commissioner/ Additional Chief Secretary.
DySP Sudershan Mehta, however, when contacted informed the scribe that he had challenged the order and served legal notice to the Home Department. “ I have served legal notice to the Financial Commissioner Home Department as the order issued to him is a clear violation of the clause. The department has issued notice to me after one year of my retirement which goes against the judgement of Supreme Court vide case title Bhagirathi Jena v/s Board of Directors in which it has been held that no inquiry can be initiated against superannuated public servant ”, Mehta said, adding, “ Already I had cleared my position to the PHQ on 26.02.2016 in this context.
It was my no objection certificate from government and Vigilance Department I was recommended for the President Police Medal for Meritorious Service twice i.e. in the year 2020 and 2021 by the ADGP V.K Singh”.
If the official sources are to be believed, the Home Department in the year 2016 wrote to the Police Headquarters, PHQ, vide communique No: Home PB-1/Gaz /30/2016 and asked then DGP Jammu and Kashmir Police SP Vaid to issue notice to the six police officers for their explanation that on whose permission they were holding the office in Sports Association. These officers were named as BenamTosh, SP, SudershanMehta, DySP, CharatChander Singh , Inspector (now DySP),Kuldeep Handoo, Inspector (now DySP), Sports Officer in JKP, Sajad Hussain, Inspector and Rajesh Khajuria, Head Constable.
