Jharkhand administrative officers go on three-day mass leave

Officers of the Jharkhand Administrative Services Association (JASA) on Thursday went on three days' mass leave against the move of the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to arrest the officials of their cadre on corruption charges.

The latest issue was the arrest of Manoj Tiwari, a Circle Officer (CO) of Hazaribagh district, on November 14. More than 300 state services officers posted as the CO, Special Secretary and Director have gone on mass leave.

"We demand that the ACB should not indulge in fake trapping. The trapping should be done in presence of the Magistrate and videography should be done to maintain the trapping norms," Ranendra Kumar, a Director-rank official, told IANS.

The JASA officers alleged that the ACB officials lay trap when their work is not done by the JASA officials.

The ACB officials say that the JASA has taken up the issue after around half dozen officials of their cadre were arrested on corruption charges.

"Corruption is rampant at block offices and CO and Block Development Officers accept bribe openly to get the genuine works of common people. We act only on applications of the common people," an ACB official told IANS.

--IANS

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