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.”
"We Hindus offer Lord Krishna's package to Muslims--give us 3 temples and keep 39,997 masjids. I hope Muslim leaders don't become Duryodhans," Swamy tweeted.
Comments
Temple are filled with IDOLs, All idols doesnt speak, it cannot help itself, it cannot move,,,, & ALLAH say human are intelligent when they THINK. I wonder Y intelligent beings are not thinking ???????
VEDAS says NA Tasya Pratima Asti... There is no image, statues and pictures of God.. Why are u worshiping such thing which is life less.
WORSHIP THE CREATOR NOT HIS CREATION... (Quran speaks lot about our LIFE and the creation of all that exists..) If the creator says Mankind is intelligent .. Then FIND out Who is worthy of Worship rather than blindly following and worshiping the LIFELESS objects..
SEEK guidance from the one who gave us soul, Just say OH God, the one who gave me soul - GUIDE me to the TRUTH..
U will be on the path of those who are successful... GOOD LUCK May ALLAH guide those who look for HIM.
I say you give all your other temples to Muslims and keep that 3 temple.
BJP always keeps this Rama mandir issue open to contest in election, if they build Rama mandir issue is closed, then there will not be a big issue to contest in election. One thing is clear BJP wont build Rama mandir. They are following divide & rule.
BJP is counting downfall because of such morons in their party
And about this giving and keeping business....does he thinks that it's as easy as giving his daughter to a Muslim boy
Guys,
Why Swami is handling the Muslim community because his only one daughter ran away with Muslim guy that is why he is in pain so everywhere he is carrying that pain that he was not able to control his daughter. we should understand his pain. just ignore him.
Subramanya swine has nothing to do as his name is fading away from active politics, this is just a publicity gimmick.
He went on top list of jokers in BJP for this joke...see the pic, he himself is not controlling on his own joke..
He is a big joker, see how he is laughing on his own joke...
Swami dreaming in day time, Contraction of temple I am sure not in your this life. you should take a rebirth again.
To dear Fair Hindu Brothers,
Please have control on his tongue. Truly, he does not represent Hindu Community.
As in every community, there are black sheep. He could be one of them,
However once again, his comments has no bearing with Fair Hindus. The strange, why BJP does not want to stop such crazy leaders to be in their core committee.
Therefore even BJP is also not yet all representing real HIndus.
Now in India, we need a very strong party in the national level., like AAP in Delhi., consisting of like minded fair and open people. Let us encourage AAP in the next election.
In Delhi, they are success, God willing they can be successful in Centre.
A New deception to FOOL people & Unthinking saffron plan to loot. More deception will come when Elections are nearer & nearer...
Looting the country & destroying the peaceful society is the only agenda of Such LOOTERS...
Forget about 3 mosques, we will not give you a dust from them...
one of sardar's of stupid .... joker swamy :p
Susu Swami network begins for the year 2016..
Ye tho pagal swami hai. !
Why only such jokers are leaders in BJP.
BJP Credibility and fate of commons : Yatha raja - Ta tha praja.
It is better if this stupid concentrates himself on fixing unemployment problems around...temple construction is not an issue for people...
forget about 3 temples............even you can not get 3 hairs instead.............. if the Ram janmabhoomi issue is resolved , then saffronists have no issue to revolt innocents against Us
Swami very understanding Gentleman as well he assume Millions of Millions Hindustani's are big buffoons what he thinks so, probably he do not understand why Temples, Mosques, Churches or any other spiritual places, swami for you better stay in spiritual place as a puja that is best job for you or better to go Tamilnadu and join Cheala work very good or we have to have some different options to you Gentle man.
Jai Hindustan
election joke
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