M A I N   N E W S

Punjab penalises 2 IAS officers for irregularities, lowers their grade pay
Ruchika M Khanna/TNS

Chandigarh, September 2
The Punjab Government has decided to lower the grade pay of two IAS officers — Kripa Shankar Saroj and B Sarkar — as a punishment for financial irregularity and misuse of official position.

Sources said orders had been issued to lower the grade pay of Saroj, a 1989-batch officer, from Rs 10,000 to Rs 8,700. The government is in the process of issuing orders to lower 1986-batch officer Sarkar’s grade pay as well.

The UPSC had recommended disciplinary action against the two officers after the state government submitted records of their charge-sheets along with their replies to the commission. The sources said the UPSC had sent their cases back to the state government in July, recommending disciplinary action against the two.

While action has been initiated against Saroj for his involvement in the iron ore scam, during his posting as MD of the Punjab Agro Financial Corporation in 2004, Sarkar has reportedly been found guilty of ignoring a registered will as Commissioner, Faridkot, in 2004, and reversing the decision of lower courts. Sarkar is currently posted as Secretary, Punjab Human Rights Commission.

Saroj had allegedly gone ahead and exported iron ore without mandate. A sum of Rs 17.10 crore was released to a private company without proper verification. The inquiry also found misuse of funds by diverting these out of the cash credit limit to adjust the packing credit limit.

Saroj is currently posted as Director, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh, and has reportedly been conveyed the quantum of his punishment. He has been given 21 days to reply under the UPSC rules.

This is perhaps the first time that disciplinary action has been initiated against two senior IAS officers in the state. A fortnight ago, the state had initiated action against three PCS officers — Kiran Rosy, TN Passi and Jaipal Singh — by compulsorily retiring them.

The offence

• 1989-batch officer Kripa Shankar Saroj has been punished for involvement in the iron ore scam as managing director of the Punjab Agro Financial Corporation in 2004
• He allegedly exported iron ore without mandate; released Rs 17.10 crore to a private firm without proper verification
• 1986-batch officer B Sarkar has been found guilty of ignoring a registered will as Commissioner, Faridkot, in 2004 and reversing the decision of lower courts
• The grade pay of the two officers has been slashed from Rs 10,000 to Rs 8,700
• The UPSC had recommended disciplinary action against the two after the state submitted records of their charge-sheets along with replies to the commission