CHANDIGARH: The West Bengal government on Wednesday has issued a showcase notice to IAS officer KJS Cheema, as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his unauthorised absence.
Cheema was in May relieved by the Punjab government three weeks ago, but has yet to return to his parent cadre West Bengal.
Top government sources said that they received a letter on Wednesday from the West Bengal government that Cheema was yet to join the West Bengal government.
The letter further states that Cheema is directed to show cause within fifteen days of receiving the notice for his unauthorised absence in accordance with rule 7(b) (vi) of the All India Services Rules (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
If his reply is not received within the stipulated period, necessary action will be initiated against him ex-parte.
It further states that Cheema was released from the Lok Sabha Secretariat on March 3, 2007 and joined the Punjab government on March 6, 2007 unilaterally without concurrence of the Government of India and West Bengal.
“His stay in Punjab was unauthorised as it was in violation of the IAS (Cadre) rules, 1954,’’ said an officer.
The 1993 batch IAS officer was posted with then chief minister Parkash Singh Badal since 2007 as special secretary and then as special principal secretary, as he is considered close to the Badal family.
Senior officers pointed out that Cheema’s inter-cadre deputation and his stay in the state was against the service rules.
The department of personnel and training (DoPT) had then written to the West Bengal government to initiate action against him, stating that since his inter-cadre deputation had not been extended, action should be initiated for his unauthorised absence.
Also the Union government’s plan to stop Cheema’s salary did not materialise after Parkash Singh Badal intervened and spoke to the then Prime Minister, said sources.
Before his ten year stint in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, Cheema had earlier also served in Punjab from 1997 to 2002 when Badal was chief minister.
When the Congress government came to power in Punjab it decided to repatriate Cheema back to West Bengal.
The personnel department of the state government then wrote to the department of personnel and training in the Centre and obtained all its past letters to the state asking to repatriate the officer.
He was finally repatriated a few weeks back as he was posted as secretary freedom fighters welfare department in Punjab government.