Highly connected official of the Rajkiya Govind Ballabh Pant Polytechnic, Pawan Mishra, was finally removed from his posts by the state government following probe by the state ombudsman.
The action was taken after lokayukta Justice (retd) NK Mehrotra, questioned Mishra’s appointment when even the Apex Court had found him non-eligible for the job. Interestingly, Principal Secretary (Social Welfare), Sunil Kumar, who removed Mishra, now claimed that he was misguided with the opinion by a law officer not after learning of the facts, he had got the guilty officials shifted besides he also sought explanation from them in this regard before recommending action.
Confirming about action against Pawan Mishra here on Monday morning, lokayukata said that he was officially informed that confirmation of Pawan Mishra in the Polytechnic at Mohan Road and his subsequent promotion or later his nomination to post of chairman of the five-member Examination Board of the Polytechnic, all had been done just as a committee in the social welfare department which included a law officer, had concealed the real facts and cleared Mishra’s case for the said purpose. Mehrotra claimed that he was further informed that since the truth now came before Sunil Kumar, so Mishra was removed, the committee members were shifted and that enquiry has been ordered to initiate further departmental action.
It may be mentioned that a lucknow bases social activist filed an application with Mehrotra in which she alleged that principal secretary (Social Welfare), Sunil Kumar, had facilitated one adhoc employee of Rajkiya Govind Ballabh Pant Polytechnic at Mohan Road, Pawan Mishra, not just by confirming his service but also giving him promotion and posting him as office superintendent.
She also informed that both the High Court as well as the Supreme Court had ordered that services of Mishra could not be confirmed, the officials of the Social Welfare Department along with Sunil Kumar concealed the above information and not just regularised the services violating all norms but also gave promotion to Mishra.
Besides she also informed that the Department further facilitated Mishra with nomination on the post of chairman of the five member Examination Board of the Polytechnic. Soon after the above allegation, State Ombudsman, issued notice to Sunil Kumar and sought his explanation in the matter.
Sources confirmed that Sunil Kumar initially confirmed that the regularisation of Mishra has been made after taking opinion of law Department. However, he said that regularisation file of Pawan Mishra was also move in the Department in July 2013 but the then Principal Secretary (social welfare), had made noting that Mishra can not be confirmed in the Department.
Sources further confirmed that when Mishra’s file was moved second time and legal opinion was sought in the matter, he submitted an experience certificate of Awadh Industries (two years and seven months), so that Rsobjection’ should be not made. However, later during probe, even this certificate was found to be fake and a case was also reportedly registered in this regard. Social activist, who confirmed of registering of FIR against Pawan Mishra, claimed that she also wrote a letter in this regard to chief secretary, requesting to take legal action against the said employee. According to sources, Sunil Kumar admitted that chief secretary, had send him that file for necessary action but he claimed to have forwarded it to special secretary, Kedarnath to initiate further action. Now, when the matter was once again brought to his knowledge through State Ombudsman, he served a notice to Kedarnath, seeking his reply on the matter.