Suspended IAS Officer Prasanth Makes Promotion Appeal During Hearing
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Synopsis
Suspended Kerala IAS officer N. Prasanth continues his battle with Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, demanding immediate attention to his delayed promotion while facing serious allegations from senior bureaucrats.
Key Takeaways
- Prasanth demands immediate promotion action.
- He alleges conspiracy by senior bureaucrats.
- Legal notices issued against accused officials.
- Claims of procedural unfairness in his suspension.
- Calls for rule of law in government actions.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 17 (NationPress) The ongoing conflict between suspended Kerala IAS officer N. Prasanth and Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan shows no signs of resolution, as Prasanth urges immediate action on his significantly delayed promotion.
Following his hearing with Muraleedharan, Prasanth took to Facebook on Thursday to disclose the outcomes of their meeting.
The 2007-batch IAS officer faced suspension after levying serious allegations against senior bureaucrats, including Additional Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak (1991-batch), IAS officer K. Gopalakrishnan (2013-batch), and even Chief Secretary Muraleedharan.
He has also issued legal notices to them, accusing them of orchestrating false charges and conspiring against him.
In his Facebook post, he mentioned that due to his busy schedule post-hearing, he couldn't respond to the numerous calls and messages he received.
“I highlighted my promotion, which has been pending since 2022, as the regulations stipulate that promotion matters should be resolved within six months. I am eager to receive my promotion; no file should become a life-altering situation,” he stated.
“Initiating action against my Facebook post is imprudent and contradicts the rules of the All India Service; launching another investigation is unwarranted,” he added.
“There should be a case filed against Jayathilak, Gopalakrishnan, and Mathrubhumi newspaper for their conspiracy against me and for creating false documents.
“The rule of law applies to the Government as well, and it should not act in a way that forces the aggrieved to seek legal recourse. This is detrimental to governance. So far, I have not taken legal action against the government, and I request that no steps be taken to provoke that,” he remarked.
“My plea is for the government to refrain from hastily revoking my suspension without addressing the issues I have raised,” Prasanth expressed.
The controversy revolves around an inquiry report allegedly authored by Jayathilak, which accuses Prasanth of being responsible for missing documents related to the Unnathi project during his time as CEO, irregularities in his attendance, and breaches of service conduct, including derogatory social media posts.
Nonetheless, Prasanth asserts that the case against him relies on unreliable digital evidence and lacks both procedural and legal validity. He has also pointed fingers at Jayathilak and Gopalakrishnan for his suspension.
The situation is further complicated as Muraleedharan is set to retire on April 30 this year, while Jayathilak is speculated to succeed her.
