Bengaluru, Mar 4: The Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the state government in connection with the denial of retirement benefits to a retired deputy commissioner of commercial taxes who had fought against the illegal iron ore lobby.
Justice G Narendra also directed the state to respond to the notice before March 9, stating the reasons for withholding the officer’s retirement benefits.
Advocate Ramananda, appearing for the retired officer Josephat Andrews, explained that the single-judge bench also warned the government of stringent action.
Petitioner Josephat Andrews said his retirement benefits amounting to Rs 25.88 lakh were being withheld since 2014.
In 2009, Andrews detected a huge scam involving Vijaya Leasing, a company associated with former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy. Immediately he wrote to his higher officials explaining to them how the department was owed Rs 1,400 crore in taxes by the company. Immediately after that, Andrews was transferred to Bengaluru.
The media exposed the scam in 2012. Thereafter, to harass the officer, Andrews was served notice for allegedly not conducting an inspection of M/s Vijaya Leasing, which was controlled by the family of then tourism minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, on July 11, 2012. He was discharged by a full departmental enquiry.
The petitioner was issued a second show cause notice on Jan 29, 2014 on the same charges. Before his retirement, he was docked two increments, denied promotional benefits and his pension was reduced without following due process.
He was served yet another notice with charges that he did not inspect goods vehicles, and an order was passed on April 30, 2019 reducing his pension by 5 per cent, an unprecedented punitive action.
This order was quashed by the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT), which also ordered payment of retirement benefits to Andrews within five months. However, the benefits were not released to him.
“Rule 214 of the Karnataka Civil Services Rules (KCSR) make it clear that no enquiry can be held four years after an officer’s retirement. Belying all statutory rules and precedents of the Supreme Court, Josephat Andrews’ retirement benefits were withheld for five years. Andrews therefore approached the High Court,” advocate Ramananda explained.
Josephat Andrews recalled to Deccan Chronicle that although mining activity was in full swing in 2008, the commercial tax department maintained that it had nothing to do with mining. “I travelled to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bellary to investigate. I found tax evasion of thousands of crores. When I visited M/s the Vijaya Leasing facility – it was operating from an old oil mill premises–within 20 minutes I got calls from Ali, a person claiming to be the personal assistant of Gali Janardhan Reddy. He told me to get out of the premises as it belonged to his boss. Then calls came from minister Sreeramulu and MLA Nagendra.
Within minutes 200-300 rowdies gathered around the building and my superior asked me to come back. Instead of filing a police complaint and forming a special team to deal with the situation, the department transferred me to Bengaluru,” he explained.
Talking about the High Court directive, Josephat Andrews said, “I have suffered a lot. Instead of getting a reward for increasing revenues by Rs 2,000 crore, I was punished.”
Comments
Ahmd
What are u teaching vedas to them. they are not following vedas, because they are worshiping Devils.
Ganapathi's father Shiva, Could not recognize his own son Ganapathi, How will he Recognise u.
master plan of MELVIN.. he need post in BJP.. tiz move is very danger to christian community please dont believe MELWIN and RSS ....
OMG...Christian Hindu Bhai Bhai....Hum Saath Saath Hain..Dear Father's And Sister's Dont forget Church attack incident that took place in Mangalore. These are the same people who beat innocent Nuns, Womens and Children. MIND IT.
why don't Chaddis go to churches and masjid..???? why don't they show unity..????. Chaddis wants other religion people to live like their slaves. (vinashakala vipareetha buddi)
This is not communal harmony ....this is an act of cowardness .....
Communal Harmony does not mean worshiping another God or another god of any other religion ...Harmony means give and take respect and love each other. and do respect all religion ....
DOnt misuse Communal Harmony
Guys in movies u have watched khans dancing , praising In front of Hindu Gods....but It doesnt Mean They worship or Believe...its a Part of Movie To entertain.....this Is Also same Its Part to Maintain harmony....plz take Things In different Angles....
Prem ...Jesus never Denied When His Follower Called him God.
VIREN #6
Muslims are NOT ABUSING but telling the TRUTH.
Vedas says NA TASYA PRATImA ASTI which means there is no image of God... it also says God is one ...
Muslims are telling that what VEDAS says is right and we ask U guys to PONDER on Y VEDAS says the following
*NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI (S upanishad 4:19)
*They enter Darkness those who worship natural things, They sink deeper in DARKNESS those who worship Sambhuti (Created things) - Yajurveda 40.09
*God is one without a secong (Chondogya 6:02 1)
*Of that God there is no image primita (YV 32:3)
* All those whose intelligence has been STOLEN by material desires, they worship many Gods - Bhagwat Gita 7:20
READ to understand ...
Remove your hatred and use your intellect to know the reality of IDOL Worship.
You pray Ganapati and throw him in the sea at the end of the day....pity on you guys....I have seen people take drinks and dance behind it...no God fearing...no honesty....no devotion at all...looking for creating problems around....very bad....
They could have gone and prayed some other temples but not in RSS HQ....shame on them....they are scared of.....Muslims would not do this type of shirks....
Dear Vimala... #7
It is better to obey God (Who says worship him alone) rather than disobeying cheddis who want people to bow down to idols.
U will never recognise the devils trap in worshiping many man made created objects UNLESS U READ the manual from God...
QURAN challenges human being to create a book like that or a verse similar to it.
If U not read, then please read it and use your intellect to know what God says about the CREATION and life of this World... Please
Recognise YOUR CREATOR and worship him alone... it will be better for our life and hereafter.
Here some Zakir Naik Bhakts are trying to preach their religion. I request the moderator to remove the unnecessary out of the topic comments.
You have done a good job by posting a news report that spread the message of unity. But, some readers trying to create communal disturbance.
God Created man with intellectual power which we need to use it.
Stones are created lifeless by God
When we dont use our intelligence, We bow down to lifeless objects instead of God himself.
Its a great injustice done by human being to God..
God created U and U worship the STONES.
People should know who is their CREATOR rather than bowing down to lifeless object which cannot benefit nor harm the intelligent mankind... which blessed with life itself.
if U R TRUTHFUL in searching God ... He will guide u, if u are HONEST.
Dont fall trap to LIARS and AGGRESSORS of our Society.. God's help comes when we stand with the TRUTH....
Ok Ok.. I fully agree that these are peace loving people. By the way where were they when true Indians were fighting for the freedom of the nation? Both of them were with ......?
This is the spirit of truth. It attracts people of all faiths. Hats off the Christian nuns and fathers for their open minded gesture. Muslims should learn from Christians how to live in a multi cultural society.
As rightly pointed out by V Nagraj ji, these nuns and priests have proved their honesty. Can the peace loving Hindu community expect same gesture from one umma gang? Or they will continue to abuse all Hindu gods as per the teaching of their scripture ?
I think they did not woship Ganapati. They just offered a saree and took prasadam. Actual worship takes place in the heart and it cannot be seen by anyone. This is just a harmony visit.
If God cannot recognise his own son... Then how will he recognise his creation ....
If God cannot replace his son's head , Then how can we depend on him for our blessings.
Something is wrong.. either cheddis are against NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI or those who worship idols are ignorant about God...
Please search for TRUTH.. God guides those who are HONEST from their heart..
No need to Fear cheddis and sell your souls to cheddis..
Worship the Creator and not his creation...
Jesus never said worship me but the father.... (God).
Na Tasya Pratima Asti - There is no image of God.. (What U worship in the form of idol cannot be god as per Vedas)
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