IAS Officer Kannan Gopinathan Faced Show Cause For 'Misconduct, Dereliction of Duty'

New Delhi, September 11: Before he quit ostensibly over curbs imposed in Kashmir, IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan was issued a show cause notice in July by the Union Home Ministry for indulging in various acts of "omission and commission" which constitute "misconduct" as well as "dereliction of duty".

The Ministry cited "dereliction" of duty in the administrative works of the 33-year-old officer in the July 8 show cause notice served on Kannan, who was the Power and Non-Conventional Energy Secretary in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. IAS Officer Kannan Gopinath Resigns to Protest 'Rights' Violation in Kashmir', Detention of Shah Faesal.

Among the various "omissions" and "commissions" cited, the Ministry had said the officer posted in Puducherry had failed to submit a report on 2018 Kerala flood.

Sources said as the IAS was to be sacked for his conduct and was given 10 days time to revert back his clarification to the Ministry, he quit the coveted government job on August 21, stating that he was "disturbed" over the curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5.

After Gopinathan's resignation, it was widely reported in media that he was issued show cause notice after his comment on Kashmir.

Now it has come to light that the IAS officer's move followed the show cause notice in which the Home Ministry had proposed for appropriate disciplinary action from the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, and Dadar and Nagar Haveli in his case.

The 2012-batch AGMUT cadre officer from Kerala was posted in Dadra and Nagar Haveli as Power and Non-Conventional Energy Secretary.

The Centre's notice was issued after the two Union Territories had brought it to the knowledge of the Ministry that Gopinathan had been indulging in various acts of "ommission and commission", which constitute misconduct within the meaning of the rule (3) of the All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

The Union Territories had informed the Ministry through a letter dated June 11, that Gopinathan had been indulging in act of "insubordination, adoption of dilatory tactics and dereliction of duty".

The officer was charged for delay of nine months from his part in submitting a file to amend the policy regarding discontinuation of issue of Permanent Residence Certificate, among other charges.

The officer was asked to get the work of underground electrical cabling and shifting of electric poles completed by May 2018 to enable early execution of projects of beautification of roads from Naroli to Saheed Chowk to Samarwani in Dadar and Nagar Haveli.

However, the poles were not shifted till March 2019, the Home Ministry notice said.

Gopinathan even bypassed the prescribed reporting channel, the notice said, adding three such instances dated June 26, 2018; July 16, 2018 and October 15, 2018 for appointment of Director on the board of DNH Power Distributikn Company Ltd were also there.

"Gopinathan had submitted files directly to the administrator without routing them through advisor to the administrator," the notice accessed by IANS mentions.

It is further observed that Gopinathan visited Kerala in the wake of massive flood in the state in 2018 to meet the officers concerned and chalked out a plan as to how the Union Territory administration could help the flood victims.

But he failed to submit any report on his return from tour, the notice further said.

Gopinathan was asked to prepare the nominations for Prime Minister's award under various categories for innovations in public administration. But he failed to comply with the said direction, the notice read.

"Whereas, Gopinathan is holding a responsible position in the government and therefore knowledge of extant rules and instructions, including that of All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968 can be safely attributed to him.

"And now thereof, Gopinathan is directed to show cause within 10 days from the date of receipt of this memorandum as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for the aforesaid acts of ommission and commission," the notice said.

As per the notice, Gopinathan was advised to submit his reply through the advisor to the administrator, Daman and Diu, and Dadar and Nagar Haveli.

"The advisor to the administrator is requested to examine the reply or clarification of Gopinathan within 15 days thereafter and submit the recommendations of the Union Territory administration with the approval of the administrator to the Ministry of Home Affairs within the same period, the notice said.

Gopinathan in his resignation letter though said there was denial of "fundamental rights" to lakhs of people in Jammu and Kashmir for weeks after the state lost its special status following the abrogation of Article 370.

"I joined civil service with the hope that I can be the voice of those who have been silenced. But here, I lost my own voice," Gopinathan said after his resignation.

IAS Kannan Gopinathan faced show cause from Centre for 'misconduct, dereliction of duty'

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) A 33-year-old Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Kannan Gopinathan, who quit from his service last month, was issued a show cause notice from Union Home Ministry for indulging in various acts of "ommission and commission" which constitute "misconduct" as well as "dereliction" of duty.

Gopinathan, was lauded for his work during the 2018 Kerala floods, had quit the coveted government job on August 21 stating that he was "disturbed" over the curbs in Jammu and Kashmir.

Gopinathan's move followed the show cause notice served against him on July 8 in which the Home Ministry had proposed for appropriate disciplinary action from the Union Territory of Daman and Diu, and Dadar and Nagar Haveli in his case.

The 2012-batch AGMUT cadre IAS from Kerala was posted in Dadra and Nagar Haveli as Power and Non-Conventional Energy Secretary.

The notice mentioned that it was issued after the two Union Territories had brought to the knowledge of the Ministry that Gopinathan had been indulging in various acts of "ommission and commission" which constitute misconduct within the meaning of the rule (3) of the All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

The Union Territories had informed the Ministry through a letter dated June 11, 2019 that Gopinathan had been indulging in act of "insubordination, adoption of dilatory tactics and dereliction of duty".

Of the events in which Gopinathan was charged include the delay of nine months from his part in submitting a file to amend the policy regarding discontinuation of issue of Permanent Residence Certificate.

Gopinathan was asked to get the work of underground eletrical cabling and shifting of electric poles completed by May 2018 to enable early execution of projects of beautification of roads from Naroli to Saheed Chowk to Samarwani.

However, it was charged, that the poles could not be shifted till March 2019, the Home Ministry notice mentioned.

Gopinathan bypassed the prescribed reporting channel, it said, adding three such instances dated June 26, 2018; July 16, 2018 and October 15, 2018 for appointment of Director on the board of DNH Power Distributikn Company Ltd had come to notice.

"Gopinathan had submitted files directly to the administrator without routing them through advisor to the administrator," the notice accessed by IANS mentions.

It is further observed that Gopinathan visited Kerala in the wake of massive flood in the state to meet the officers concerned and chalk out a plan as to how the Union Territory administration can help the flood victims.

But he failed to submit any report on his return from tour, the notice said.

Gopinathan was asked to prepare the nominations for Prime Ministers award under various categories for innovations in public administration. However, it was noted that he failed to comply with the said direction, the notice read.

"Where as, Gopinathan is holding a responsible position in the government and therefore knowledge of extant rules and instructions including that of All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1968 can be safely attributed to him.

"And now thereof, Gopinathan is directed to show cause within 10 days from the date of receipt of this memorandum as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for the aforesaid acts of ommission and commission," the notice said.

As per the notice, Gopinathan was advised to submit his reply through the advisor to the administrator, Daman and Diu, and Dadar and Nagar Haveli.

"The advisor to the administrator is requested to examine the reply or clarification of Gopinathan within 15 days thereafter and submit the recommendations of the Union Territory administration with the approval of the administrator to the Ministry of Home Affairs within the same period, the notice said.

Gopinathan in his resignation letter said there was denial of "fundamental rights" to lakhs of people in Jammu and Kashmir for weeks after the state lost its special status after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.

"I joined civil service with the hope that I can be the voice of those who have been silenced. But here, I lost my own voice," Gopinathan said after his resignation.

In his July 31 reply to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Gopinathan refuted the charges of insubordination, dereliction of duty and dilatory tactics.

"It is submitted that I have been performing my duties diligently and to the best of my abilities," he wrote, adding he had been honest and committed to his duties, which was borne by the fact that the UT Administrator gave him 9.95 out of 10 points in the December 2018 appraisal.

He gave a detailed break-up of the work carried out under his various charges and how excise collections increased during his time and how there was improvement in the functioning and delivery of the various departments he was in charge of.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 11, 2019 11:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).