UP govt removes forest department official over corruption charges

Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday removed IFS Pawan Kumar from the post of Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and HoFF, Uttar Pradesh, over corruption charges.

The state government has also decided to give compulsory retirement to seven Provincial Police Service (PPS) officers from service.

The seven officers in the ranks of Superintendent of Police and Assistant Commandant of the Provincial Service Cadre, were forcibly retired following recommendations of the screening committee.

The officials include - Arun Kumar, Assistant Commandant of 15th batallion PAC Agra; Vinod Kumar Rana, Superintendent of Police, Ayodhya; Narendra Singh Rana, Superintendent of Police, Agra; Ratan Kumar Yadav, Assistant Commandant of PAC Jhansi, 33rd battalion; Tejveer Singh Yadav, Assistant Commandant, 27th batallion PAC, Sitapur; Santosh Kumar Singh, Zonal officer, Moradabad and Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Assistant Commandant of 30th batallion PAC Gonda.

Keeping with its stand of 'zero-tolerance' policy against corruption, the Uttar Pradesh government in the last two years, has forcibly retired over 200 officials and employees of different departments. In addition, the government has also punished more than 400 officers and employees by suspending and demoting them.