VIJAYAWADA: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which had earlier stayed the suspension of India Revenue Service (IRS) officer Jasti Krishna Kishore, questioned the Andhra Pradesh government how it can transfer an officer, who was the Chief Executive Officer of the Economic Development Board (EDB) as an ex-officio secretary/deputy secretary.
The CAT said that since the government cannot take any action against the officer as he was holding the post of CEO of EDB, it transferred him to the post of deputy secretary in the GAD and initiated disciplinary action against him.
“Who gave you the authority to transfer the officer to such a post? It is not advisable on the part of the government to act in such a vindictive manner against an official who came to the State on deputation on the request of the government,’’ the tribunal observed.
The CAT was hearing a petition by Krishna Kishore against his suspension from service by the State government accusing him of misappropriation of funds as the CEO of EDB.
The CAT earlier stayed the suspension of Kishore till Tuesday and Tribunal Chairman Justice L Narasimha Reddy once again heard the matter.
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Reprimanding the government for using its resources in a vindictive manner, the Tribunal said that law will not allow the government to act in such a manner.
“Remember that you won’t be in power forever. This kind of acts will drive you into problems. How can a deputy collector rank official lodge a complaint against a special secretary-level officer? What will happen if an MRO lodges a complaint against the Chief Secretary?’’ it questioned.
The Tribunal also asked the government as to what is the misappropriation committed by Krishna Kishore and whether it is so severe that it mandates a probe by CID/ACB. “Whether the State government informed the parent department (IT department) about the allegations against him?’’ the tribunal questioned.
The government counsel said that there were orders from the Centre not to send back the officials, who came on deputation, till the completion of the deputation period and that is why the government had not relieved the officer even as he had applied for going back to his parent cadre.
The CAT also asked the government to pay the salary arrears due to Kishore within two weeks and extended the interim stay on the suspension of the officer till the end of January. The Tribunal also asked the Centre to file its counter and adjourned the case till January 31.