Jute Commissioner issues notice to ex-JCI chief

Levels charges of misconduct and irregularity against the PSU official

The office of the Jute Commissioner has served a showcause notice on R C Tewary, former chairman and managing director of jute PSUs — Jute Corporation of India (JCI) and National Jute Manufacturers’ Association (NJMC) for alleged misconduct and irregularities.

The showcause notice has been issued to Tewary on September 23 with the Jute Commissioner’s office threatening disciplinary action if no reply is received within 15 days. Tewary served as the chairman and managing director of both the jute PSUs between 2005 and 2011. He was appointed advisor of NJMC in 2011.

“During your tenure as advisor to NJMC, you committed several misconducts which were unbecoming of an advisor of NJMC board and amounted to lack of integrity and unprofessional conduct on your part,” Jute Commissioner Subrata Gupta said in the notice.

Tewary, however, denied the allegations. “I have not received any such notice from the Jute Commissioner's office. There are no cases of irregularities against me,” he told Business Standard.

Earlier the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had pulled up Tewary for alleged financial irregularities and registered a case against him in 2008. Due to lack of evidence, CBI closed the file in 2011.  

Last year, the government decided to revive three mills of NJMC- Kinnison and Khardah in West Bengal and RBHM in Bihar. Tewary was appointed to overlook the revival functions.

According to the Jute Commissioner, there are direct evidences to prove that Tewary had indulged in misconduct and irregularities. These include arbitrary decision making, going out of his way in engaging labour and works contractors and also availing personal benefits.