‘Sad that corrupt and suspended officers are paid’

‘Sad that corrupt and suspended officers are paid’

Chennai:02.05.2021

The Madras high court has observed that while suspended, corrupt government officials get all monetary benefits, several deserving candidates are engaged as contract workers and paid meagre salaries.

Justice S Vaidyanathan made the observation while dismissing a plea moved by a sanitary inspector seeking to quash departmental proceedings against him in connection with a corruption case. As per rules, employees under suspension are eligible for subsistence allowance ranging from 50% to 75% of their last drawn basic salary.

According to the petitioner, he was working as a sanitary inspector and was caught taking a bribe of ₹2,000 in 2009. Subsequently, he was convicted by a special court in 2020 and sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment. Since a parallel proceeding was initiated by the department for the same charges, the petitioner moved the court to quash the same.

“It is painful to note that several talented persons have been working temporarily in government departments under contractors, especially in PWD, under non-muster roll for years together without regularisation. Whereas, corrupt officials, who were under suspension, are paid all the monetary benefits,” the court said. TNN