Administrative Prudence Demands Moral Turpitude to be treated differently from Financial Irregularity
тАЬThe way this case has been handled has severely undermined the credibility of the decision-making process and highlights a clear lack of maturity in dealing with such sensitive cases within the senior leadership of Western Railway and Rail BhawanтАЭ
On 10 Jan we published, тАЬрдкрд╢реНрдЪрд┐рдо рд░реЗрд▓рд╡реЗ рдХреЗ рдкреАрд╕реАрдПрд╕рд╕реА рдкрд░ рдорд╣рд┐рд▓рд╛ рдХрд╛рдВрд╕реНрдЯреЗрдмрд▓ рдиреЗ рд▓рдЧрд╛рдпрд╛ рд╢рд╛рд░реАрд░рд┐рдХ рд╢реЛрд╖рдг рдХрд╛ рдЖрд░реЛрдктАЭ
In addition, we also had concerns about the #suppression of #complaint.
To take balanced view on complaint of moral turpitude, we contacted a senior retired officer and published his opinion on January 11th. However, it has recently come to light that the #complaint has been withdrawn. We contacted the officer who gave his opinion for #Railwhispers and asked for his opinion in light of this new information. Here is his #opinion, which has been edited for ethical editorial style.
Opinion:
Look at the #chronology: #Complaint is seen by the #AGM on 02 January. When nothing happens, matter leaks out. #RailSamachar publishes the story on 10th January.
After the report is published, news quickly spreads about pressure being applied to #withdraw or #disassociate from the complaint, and eventually it is successfully withdrawn or disassociated from.
I am reiterating my stance, as previously published by #Railwhispers on January 11th, тАЬPCSC/WRтАЩs Case-Failure of WR and Rail BhawanтАЭ. I analysed the case using the standard of #administrative prudence. Let’s #examine the details of the case. On January 2nd, the #AGM was aware of the matter. What should he have done? Considering the seriousness of the complaint, especially against a #PHOD, the AGM should have immediately informed the GM. The #GM should have then consulted with the #DGRPF and #CRB to conduct an #independent discreet #inquiry. By conducting a #discreet inquiry, the subsequent decisions would have carried more credibility. This process would not have taken more than a few days. Unfortunately, the matter was allowed to linger.
Some have raised concerns about the need to verify the complaint, which is valid. There are people who argue that the complaint could be #malicious, and indeed it could be. However, I still maintain my view, as published on January 11th in тАЬPCSC/WRтАЩs Case-Failure of WR and Rail BhawanтАЭ, for the following reasons.
I strongly believe, as do many of my colleagues, that cases involving #moral-turpitude are different from instances of #financial irregularities. In this particular case, allegations were made against a #PHOD, who heads the department that acts as the coercive arm of the #IndianRailways. I firmly believe that those in positions of #power should be above #suspicion. By conducting a discreet inquiry involving non-railway agencies or officials from other #railways, we could have gained a better understanding of the matter at hand. It is important to note that such inquiries are administrative in nature and are not conducted with the same rigor as #legal inquiries. I have come across many complaints that were made with malicious intent, and this could have been one of them. But a complaint made by a #lady-constable against her senior most officer cannot be dismissed easily as no lady can reasonably stand risk of being exposed in this manner.
However, the way this #case has been handled has severely undermined the #credibility of the decision-making process and highlights a clear lack of maturity in dealing with such sensitive cases within the senior #leadership of #WesternRailway and #RailBhawan.