Complete proceedings against Tihar officials in four weeks: SC

New Delhi: In a classic example of snail-paced processes in the govt, departmental proceedings against 32 officials of Tihar Jail suspended on the orders of the Supreme Court in Oct 2021 for providing luxury facilities to jailed former promoters of Unitech — Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra who duped many homebuyers — are yet to be concluded.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh said as per govt service rules, a suspended employee would draw 75% of his last drawn salary if the departmental proceedings were not concluded within six months. "This means these suspended officials are drawing 75% of their salaries without doing any work, which is a drain on the exchequer," the bench said while directing completion of the proceedings in four weeks.
Appearing for a suspended jailer, senior advocate P Chidambaram said the SC's Oct 6, 2021, order had directed these jail officials to be placed on suspension till the completion of inquiry and departmental proceedings. For the last three-and-a-half years, nothing much has happened, he said while requesting the SC to recall the suspension order and reinstate them in their jobs.
Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati informed the bench that of the 32 officials suspended on the orders of the court, which so directed after a Delhi Police inquiry found them to be complicit with the Chandras, four had retired and the services of two contractual officials had been terminated.
She said departmental proceedings had commenced as chargesheet was served on the remaining suspended officials in Oct last year. The bench agreed to modify the Oct 2021 order and asked the authorities to complete the departmental proceedings within four weeks. However, the bench refused to comment on the criminal proceedings initiated against the jail officials by Delhi Police.
In Aug 2021, the Enforcement Directorate had written to the Delhi Police commissioner that the Chandras were enjoying facilities much beyond what was prescribed under the jail manual. The SC, which was monitoring the irregularities committed by Unitech group, had directed Delhi Police to undertake an inquiry into the facilities made available to the Chandras inside Tihar Jail and identify the officials responsible for it.