Haryana recruitment row: Verma files 2nd complaint against Ashok Khemka

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 29

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The Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC) has lodged a second complaint against Ashok Khemka, Additional Chief Secretary, Science and Technology and Fisheries Department. The complaint has been filed with the Chief Secretary and the SHO of the Sector 5 police station, Panchkula, for alleged 16 illegal recruitments.

Will check record first

Cannot comment without seeing the record, especially on a 12-year-old matter. Ashok Khemka, Additional Chief Secretary

The HSWC inquired into the issue after a reference was made to it by the state government on April 22. “I am yet to receive the communication,” said Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal. In 2009, 33 posts of district manager, assistant manager (quality control), technical assistant, manager (grade-I) and manager (grade-II) were advertised. Twenty-three candidates were selected and appointment letters issued to 22. The communication sent by the Secretary, HSWC, on the behalf of MD Sanjiv Verma, said it was Khemka who constituted the screening committee and approved reports.

It added that no roster was followed for the posts of district manager, and the two selected candidates didn’t fulfil the “required experience” criteria. One of the candidates selected as assistant manager, six as technical assistants and three as managers (grade-I) also didn’t fulfil the selection criteria.

Two candidates selected for the posts of manager (grade-I) were terminated following the first complaint by the HSWC MD. One of the selected candidates didn’t have the requisite BCA certificate.

Four candidates selected as managers (grade-II) were also “wrongly” selected. The HSWC inquiry committee found that no criteria were fixed for awarding marks for the interview.

It is claimed that the certificates of selected candidates were not got verified from the authorities concerned. “It is apparent that the appointments made by Ashok Khemka, the then MD, were illegal, arbitrary and against the principles of service jurisprudence. Hence, the appointments made… have not been found as per laid down rules and regulations of the state government,” the communication said.

Besides Khemka, the committee found that then Manager (Production) Som Nath Rattan (Retd), Assistant Manager (Admin) SC Kansal (Retd), Assistant Manager (Admin) Ram Singh and then dealing assistants Naresh Kumar, Jagdish Lal and Kiran Bhasin were also responsible. It recommended the registration a criminal case against all of them.

When contacted, Khemka said, “I cannot comment on the issue without seeing the record, especially on a 12-year-old matter. The reference seems to emanate from a pending Lokayukta inquiry. A fair officer ought to have waited for the report. Eligibility of the candidates was independently determined by a screening committee. Interviews were conducted by the executive council. During my 31 years of service, I have not seen a worse abuse of public office. Satyameva Jayate.”

The SHO of the Sector 5 police station couldn’t be contacted for comments.