7 members of Azam's staff face probe

A probe was ordered today against seven staff members of Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan's office, who were shifted to Secretariat almost a week after they sought transfer alleging the minister was "abusive and used undignified language" against them.
The charge sheet to these employees was issued yesterday and served today.
In a statement, Secretary Secretariat Administration Arvind Narain Mishra said,"the seven staff members voluntary joined the central section on October 30 in an unauthorised manner leaving behind the official documents insecure."
He claimed that the employees showed "gross indiscipline" and violated the provisions of the service rules.
Mishra said that it has been decided to take disciplinary action and Principal Secretary Sugar Industry Rahul Bhatnagar has been appointed as the inquiry officer to probe into the incident.

The controversy started last month when Khan came under the line of fire from his personal staff, who had sought their transfer alleging that he was using foul language against them.

The seven members of Khan's staff were-- private secretaries - Jeevan Singh Negi, Vijay Bahadur Singh, Additional private secretaries - Awadesh Kumar Tiwari, MN Jha and Sarvesh Kumar Mishra, Mohammand Naeem Siddiqui and S Prajapati.
They had on October 29 written a letter to Chief Secretary demanding that they be relieved from their duty and transferred elsewhere.
The state government and employees were on a collision course over the decision with employees' organisation expressing solidarity with their colleagues on the issue.

The employees union had threatened to go on strike if any action was taken seven members.