File photo of Chandigarh Housing board.Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board ordered””compulsory retirement”” of a sub-divisional engineer (SDE), hours before his actual retirement, citing that ‘’his retention in service is not desirable and he created a bad image of the organisation in public mind’’.
SDE Kailash Garg who was with the public health division of the board was to retire on Thursday, January 31, and compulsory retirement order was issued by chairman of the board, Sinha, on January 30. In September 2018, Garg was convicted and awarded one year imprisonment by a local Chandigarh court for trespassing on the complaint of Mani Majra, a resident. Majra alleged that in 2012, Garg along with one another person, entered his house without any notice or complaint.
In the order, the chairman said, ‘’Kailash Garg was convicted under section 448 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Conviction under section 448 IPC has brought disrepute to the Chandigarh Housing Board and created a bad image of the organisation in public mind. Therefore, his retention in service is not desirable.’’ It further said, ‘’After considering all facts and circumstances…, Kailash Garg SDE is hereby compulsory retired from service with immediate effect that is January 30, 2019.’’
Garg and another person were held guilty of trespassing. According to the rules, the CHB had to give a 24-hour notice before inspecting any house. It was alleged that the CHB was putting pressure on the complainant to withdraw the case. However, the board remained silent for four months.
A show cause notice was served to Garg last week as to why he be not dismissed following conviction but he did not receive the notice. Later, the board issued a public notice in various newspapers on the same and asking Garg to appear in person on Monday before chairman and finance secretary, AK Sinha.
