Shillong: The Megh-alaya government is awaiting report from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) before proceeding with disciplinary action against a senior Forest and Environment Department official who was recently convicted in a cheating case, an official said on Thursday.
M Balakrishna Reddy, the Conservator of Forests of Meghalaya, was sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine by the CBI’s Special Court, Indore on November 3 after he was found guilty of copying during an examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
However, the Meghalaya government is yet to terminate the services of Reddy despite the conviction by the court and is awaiting full report from the CBI on the matter.
”We have written to the CBI to provide copy of the report on the case, including the order of the court, so that we can decide on action against the officer,” a senior State government official said on condition of anonymity.
Hinting that Reddy may be suspended if the report proves his crime, the official however said, ”We cannot just act without seeing all the facts.”
”The CBI has assured to send copy of the report on the case. He also said the state government came to know about the case only through media reports,” he said.
Judge Shubhra Singh awarded the punishment to Reddy after he was caught while in possession of objectionable material during the UPSC examination in 1996.
Reddy, a native of Anantpur district in Andhra Pradesh, after clearing the preliminary examination of the UPSC, had appeared in the main examination of the UPSC on November 1, 1996 at Hamidia College, Bhopal.
It was alleged that during the examination on General Studies paper, between the period 9.30 am to 12 pm, Reddy asked for an additional answer sheet from the invigilator.
Suspecting something foul, the invigilator checked his clothes and found four answer sheets of the General Studies paper carrying answers of General Studies question paper.
The then UPSC Joint Secretary K P Pandya inquired into the matter at his level but did not establish the accused’s culpability and subsequently handed over the case to CBI to probe into the matter.
After an inquiry into the matter, the CBI Bhopal filed a chargesheet in this regard against the accused in 1997 in the CBI special court which finally delivered its judgement on November this year. (UNI)