BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government Thursday ordered compulsory retirement of a special secretary rank officer after his arrest and imprisonment in a sexual harassment case.
The order was issued to Bibhu Prasad Sadangi, a senior Odisha Administrative Service officer posted as the director of AYUSH.
He has already been suspended after the jail term following his arrest for allegedly sexually harassing a woman employee.
The government after careful consideration in line with the policy of zero tolerance of any act of immorality by any of its employees, however important he might be, has ordered compulsory retirement of Sri Sadangi from Government service with immediate effect, the order said.
The conduct of Sri Sadangi towards a subordinate lady employee, prima facie, constitutes an act of personal immorality and violation of conduct of rules, the order said.
The officer was arrested on July 9 and was remanded to judicial custody till July 31.
The woman employee in her complaint against Sadangi at the mahila police station in Bhubaneswar on July 6 had alleged that he had sent her indecent messages and obscene videos on WhatsApp on June 29.
When she blocked him on WhatsApp, Sadangi allegedly telephoned and verbally abused her, the woman said in her compliant.
Sadangi has denied the charges and alleged that he was framed by the lady and hermale companion.
He has also filed a FIR against the lady and her male companion at the Capital police station, the police said.