Govt sacks 4 taxmen for unauthorised absence for over 5 yrs

The government has sacked four officers of the Income Tax department for "unauthorised" absence from duty for over five years.

According to the notification issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), four officials -- P N N Ravin, Kulvinder Singh, Girish Prasad and Sawant Dileep Anant -- have not "resumed duty after the expiry of the sanctioned leave and continues to remain unauthorised absent" till date.

The tax department cited DoPT leave rules which state that a government servant who remains absent from duty for a continuous period exceeding five years other than on foreign service, with or without leave, shall be deemed to have resigned from the government service provided that a reasonable opportunity to explain the reasons for such absence be given to that government servant.
 

Ravin, who was last posted as Deputy Director (Systems), Mumbai Zone, has not resumed duty after expiry of sanctioned leave and continues to remain unauthorised absent from December 24, 1998, to till date.

The tax department had issued a show cause notice on September 24, 2012, to Ravin, but there was no response from his end.

Singh, who was also posted as Deputy Director (Systems), Delhi Zone, has been absent from duty from June 30, 1997, to till date.

The tax department gave him an opportunity to explain the reasons for his prolonged unauthorised absence and why his absence since June 1997 should not be treated as deemed resignation. However, no reply was received.

Same procedure was followed by the tax department in case of Prasad, last posted as Deputy Director (Systems), who is absent from August 19, 2000, and Anant (Assistant Director-Systems) Mumbai Zone, absent from October 10, 2000. No reply was received from the two.

In four separete notifications, the tax department said these people have not resumed duty after expiry of the sanctioned leave and continues to remain unauthorised absent from duty for a period exceeding five years.

It said as per the DoPT rules, the President of India would treat the continous absence of these four civil servants as "deemed resignation" from service and they will not be entitled to any retirement benefit.