IMPHAL, July 31: The joint secretary (Academic) Board of Secondary Education Manipur (BSEM), Ph Nandakumar Sharma has been handed a premature/compulsory retirement for being “insubordinate, incalcitrant” besides being “unproductive in office.”
Sources said that several reasons had been incited for the harsh recommendation against the officer.
It is learnt that, on the consideration of his past activities and performance, acts of commissions and omissions throughout his career, Nandakumar was charged of being a person totally unsuitable to be an officer of the board. His loyalty too was described as “doubtful” by the board.
It is also informed that, he had on several occasions, defied legitimate office orders and shown utter disregard for his superior officers and proven himself to be completely “insubordinate and incalcitrant.”
Sources also revealed that during his short stint as secretary in charge of the board (four months), he had clearly demonstrated doubtful integrity both administratively as well as financially, particularly his action of concealing Special Term Deposit (STD) of large value for over six years.
Moreover, Nandakumar was also charged with consistently acting to create disaffection among the officers and staff of the office as well as bringing disrepute to the office, sources claimed.
Nadakumar joined BSEM as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) on February 2, 1981 and later his post was re-designated as Research Assistant and regularised on February 21, 1983.
During his service career he has been placed suspended several times as disciplinary action for his misconduct and being irresponsible, the sources claimed.
Despite his many shortcomings, he was promoted to the post of joint secretary in 2003 and later took charge as secretary i/c in 2006.
But, surprisingly he claimed and enjoyed pay/allowances of a regular secretary on the basis of a manipulated Government order (no.3/19/ 79SE (E) dated 28/04/2006), the source claimed.
Sources also said that Nandakumar was suspected of obtaining fraudulently the signature of the then commissioner (Edn) by inducing the typist to drop “i/c” (in charge) while putting up fair copy of the said order. At the time, he had not attained the requisite number of service years to qualify for regular promotion as secretary.
It is also learnt that based on memorandums submitted by the Democratic Youth Federation of India and Students Federation of India, a preliminary enquiry was conducted into the fake appointments case and other misconducts committed by Nandakumar in 2006.
The report of the preliminary enquiry conducted by the then chairman, BSEM S Budhachandra Singh was submitted on August 26, 2006 and recommended detailed enquiry.
During the enquiry, evidence was found of various irregularities in appointments, promotions, extensions of contract employees, suspected replacement of noting in files and recommended for further detailed enquiry.
Subsequently, his appointment as secretary i/c was cancelled on August 29, 2006 and placed under suspension on September 7, 2006 to avoid any hindrance in the enquiry, informed the source before adding that yet, the case saw no further progress.
Against this backdrop, the department recovered three Special Term Deposits Certificates, STD certificates for large sums of money belonging to the board being kept concealed by Nandakumar.
Despite all these irregularities, the administration committee of the board in its meeting held on November 24, 2012 deliberated on the matter of prolonged suspension (over six years) of Nandakumar along with his application.
During the meeting, Nandakumar Sharma who was also heard in person had expressed remorse and regrets for his past mistakes and pleaded for exoneration and forgiveness.
The board in its meeting held on December 15, 2012 deliberated on the recommendation of the administration committee and decided to close the departmental enquiry against him on humanitarian ground by awarding the penalty of “stoppage of increment for one year without cumulative effect.”
Nandakumar, however, despite having reinstated to his substantive post failed to show improvement in discharging his duty but continued to indulge in creating groupism and disharmony among the officers and staff of the board, which led to the recommendation for his compulsory retirement, informed the source.