Retired Bengal Officer, Now Adviser To Mamata Banerjee, Gets New Warning From Centre
The Centre said the retired Indian Administrative Service Officer has 30 days to submit a written statement in his defence.
New Delhi:
Alapan Bandyopadhyay, West Bengal’s former chief secretary and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s adviser, has received another central government letter warning him of “major penalty proceedings” for not attending a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Cyclone Yaas last month.
The Centre, which interpreted his absence as “misconduct or misbehaviour”, said the retired Indian Administrative Service Officer has 30 days to submit a written statement in his defence.
“Shri Alapan Bandyopadhyay, IAS (Retd) is informed that an inquiry will be held only in respect of the Article of Charge as is not admitted. He should, therefore, specifically admit or deny the Article of Charge,” the letter by the Department of Personnel and Training reads.
The government has directed Mr Bandyopadhyay not to submit his written statement or appear in person before the specified date.
The Centre last month recalled the officer to Delhi after he missed the meeting along with Ms Banerjee. However, the Bengal Chief Minister called the Centre’s action “vendetta” and refused to transfer him to the national capital amid the coronavirus pandemic.
