CAT QUASHED DISMISSAL ORDER OF IB OFFICER

CAT quashed
dismissal order
of IB officer

by delhi correspondent


Central Administrative Tribunal on Tueday
quashed the dismissal order of a senior
Intelligence Bureau officer Francis John Arahna,
an IPS Officer of 1984 Maharashtra cadre. CAT also directed
IB to pay Rupees One Lakh to Arahna as compensation for
his mental torture.

The two member bench of the Principal Bench of CAT
Justice VK Bali and LK Joshi gave the order on
Tuesday.

IB official Francis John Arahna, returned from his foreign
assignment from USA in June, 2006, and for the circumstances
that he was placed in, sought voluntary retirement by putting in his
papers on 20.6.2006.

Intelligence Bureau was watching the moments of Arahna
and put him under Look Out Notice. This officer wanted
to take asylum in US. IB also reportedly taken a tape recorded
coversation of this officer that he applied for a world bank job.

Pending decision on his voluntary retirement, vide memorandum
dated 22.8.2006 he was proceeded departmentally on two charges
that on 11.7.2006 he was trying to leave the country without
permission of the Government, and that he had obtained G-4
category visa from the US Government, which is an official visa
granted by the said Government to employees of international
organizations and their immediate families, again without
permission of the Government. The very next day, i.e.,
23.8.2006, he admitted the charges but with a long explanation.

Present is the fourth Application filed by the applicant in the
Tribunal. He would have spent at least Rupees one lakh in
litigation expenses and lawyers’ fee. We thus quantify the
costs at Rupees one lakh, with liberty to the applicant to
sue the Government for damages that he might have
actually suffered all this while.

END