Why shifted bureaucrat has forest officer’s files, CAT asks Haryana Chief Secretary

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Chandigarh, April 6

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The Chandigarh Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has ordered Haryana Chief Secretary to file an affidavit “stating therein as to under which authority” senior IAS officer SN Roy has taken away Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer G Raman’s promotion and disciplinary action files despite being transferred from the Department of Forest and Wildlife.

G Raman is a senior officer in the forest department.

Beyond comprehension

It is beyond our comprehension as to how an officer of the government, on transfer, while leaving the charge of his office can take away the records of the department from where he stands transferred. —CAT Bench

SN Roy is presently serving as ACS Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums.

The bench, comprising Judicial Member Suresh Kumar Monga and Administrative Member Rakesh Kumar Gupta, in its order dated April 5, also directed the Chief Secretary “to bring the whole state of affairs to the notice of the competent authority with regard to the lapse of administrative control in the Department of Forest and Wildlife”.

Raman had approached CAT in 2018 as he was overlooked for promotion. But the department submitted before CAT that a sealed cover process was adopted as two disciplinary inquiries were contemplated against him.

Later, G Raman was exonerated and the department told the court that his case for promotion was under progress. The CAT disposed of Raman’s application on October 21, 2021, with direction to the state government to consider his case for promotion to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and issue an appropriate order within a period of six weeks.

When he was not promoted, Raman filed the contempt petition against SN Roy, then ACS Department of Forest and Wildlife.

During the pendency of the petition, Raman submitted a copy of letter dated March 15 from the Department of Forest and Wildlife, where a reference has been made to Roy to send back Raman’s file so that reply to contempt petition could be prepared.

The Bench observed, “Though SN Roy stands transferred from the Department of Forest and Wildlife, it appears, prima facie, that he is still pulling the strings in order to defeat the applicant’s (G Raman) right to claim promotion to the post of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests.”

G Raman submitted before the CAT that SN Roy had been keeping his file since September 20, 2021.

The next date in the case is April 8.