Disproportionate assets cases: DAMB dismisses engineer

The Delhi Agricultural Marketing Board (DAMB) has dismissed an executive engineer working with it over two disproportionate assets cases, officials said on Monday.

The order for the dismissal of executive engineer PS Meena from service was issued by DAMB vice chairperson Neha Bansal on June 2. But it will be subject to the Delhi High Court's final decision on a writ petition filed by the engineer.

There was no immediate reaction on the matter from Meena. ''In pursuance of the order issued by secretary vigilance, Delhi government, on May 16, 2023, I, Neha Bansal, vice chairman/disciplinary authority, hereby dismiss PS Meena, EE DAMB, from services with effect from June 2, 2023, which shall ordinarily be disqualification for future employment under the government,'' the order read.

The order is subject to final outcome of a writ petition filed by Meena in the Delhi High Court, it said.

In 2019, Meena was served a notice by the then DAMB vice chairperson in two disproportionate assets cases.

The vigilance secretary order was served to Meena on May 17, which he has challenged before the Delhi High Court through a writ petition.

According to the original complaint, Meena acquired a flat and a shop in the name of his wife and his son, respectively, beyond his known sources of his income.

An inquiry conducted by a retired IAS officer had found the charges against Meena as ''proved'' and a memorandum was served for major penalty proceedings against him.

According to the detailed dismissal order issued by the DAMB on June 2, Meena submitted his reply to the report on February 24, 2020. The then vice chairman of the DAMB, Udit Prakash Rai, imposed a penalty of ''censure'' on both the cases.

A complaint of ''light punishment'' was subsequently made to the Central Bureau of Investigation by an officer in the department, it said.

The agency had sought all records in the matter from the Directorate of Vigilance (DOV) through a letter on June 22, 2020, for inquiry in the matter.

It then submitted its report to the DOV on September 15, 2021, and a penalty of ''dismissal'' was imposed on Meena by the lieutenant governor (LG).

''I am of the considered view that the penalty imposed by the disciplinary authority, vice chairman, DAMB, vide order dated 24.02.2020, while concluding the disciplinary proceedings initiated vide charge memo dated 11.06.2019, under Rule 14 of CCS (CCA) Rules, 1965, initiated against Shri PS Meena is grossly disproportionate,'' the LG had observed in his order.

''The ends of justice in this disciplinary proceedings initiated against PS Meena would be met by revising the penalty to dismissal from service which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future employment under the government," the LG order further stated.

The report of the CBI inquiry against Rai in this matter was under examination of the Union home ministry, officials said.

No comments were immediately available from Rai.

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