Bihar IPS man moves Central Administrative Tribunal against early retirement

PATNA: IPS officer Amitabh Kumar Das has moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) against his premature retirement by the Centre on the state government’s recommendations.
The 1994 batch Bihar cadre IPS officer was given premature retirement on August 13 this year with immediate effect “in public interest with three months’ salary and allowances instead of serving notice”. Another IPS officer Ajay Kumar Verma (1985 batch) was also given premature retirement the same day.

Das told TOI over the phone on Friday that he was given premature retirement under Section 16(3) of All India Service Retirement Rules, 1958 which says one can be prematurely retired either on completing 25 years in service or attaining the age of 50 years. “I was in the 24th year of service and have not turned 50 yet. In addition, premature retirement is given to officers considered ‘deadwood’. Instead, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had deployed me as observer in Nagaland and Karnataka assembly elections this year,” he claimed.

Das said he has also sought information through RTI about the grounds of the state government’s recommendations for his premature retirement.

Das alleged that he was punished for writing to then DIG (Rail), IG (Rail) and IG (special branch) on April 12, 2003 about two lawmakers benefiting from the railway contracts allotted to their close aides for works on Patna-Mokama and Patna-Mughalsarai section. “Similar contracts were given to a criminal gang in Dhanbad. In my letter, I had urged senior officers to inform the Railway Board about these contracts,” he said.

“Soon after the change in state government on November 24, 2005, several departmental proceedings were initiated against me, but the Supreme Court quashed all in September 2016. My promotion remained on hold for several years due to these proceedings. I was finally promoted to the IG rank in August 2017, but the government kept me posted at SP rank,” he alleged.

Das said he had moved the Patna bench of CAT in February this year appealing that he must be posted at an IG rank post to get the benefits of promotion. “CAT issued notices to the Centre and state government and the matter was sub judice when I was given premature retirement,” he said.