The Hindu : New Delhi News : Retired DRDO scientist still waiting for pension

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 24, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Retired DRDO scientist still waiting for pension

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 23. Though he should have been sitting in the comfort of his home enjoying a retired life, a former Defence Research and Development Organisation employee is still doing the rounds of the Defence Ministry and his own department for getting his pension, despite his having won a legal battle in the Supreme Court in 2001.

R.S. Sahdev, a Scientist `B' in DRDO, was removed from service in 1992 for allegedly running a business of his own while being in service.

He subsequently challenged the order through a civil writ petition in the Delhi High Court, which quashed the removal order and directed Mr. Sahdev's reinstatement in service.

Through its order of July 2000, the High Court also gave the President the liberty to proceed further against Mr. Sahdev for his alleged misconduct if necessary. The judgment of the High Court was subsequently challenged by the Union of India in the Supreme Court, which dismissed the challenge on February 2, 2001. In implementation of the judgement of the High Court, the President reinstated Mr. Sahdev in service from August 18, 1992.

However, by the same order of July 12, 2001, the President decided to continue the departmental proceeding against the scientist in the light of the observations of the Delhi High Court.

As per Mr. Sahdev despite his reinstatement being ordered by the High Court, his pension and terminal benefits have not been released.

And while he took his voluntary retirement from service on March 13, 2003, and the President thereafter cancelled the disciplinary proceedings and his suspension order of 1992 on December 11, 2003, he said the pension has still not reached him.

Noting that a letter had been sent on March 13, 2003, by the Joint Director (Personnel) of DRDO, J.K. Khadwal, to the Director CEES, Delhi, which requested that the pension papers of Mr Sahdev be processed "without prejudice to any action being taken by the Directorate of Vigilance and Security of DRDO Headquarters along with the Ministry of Defence (D/Vig) on the order of the Delhi High Court'', the aggrieved scientist said despite the Senior Accounts Officer of DRDO also noting by an order of May 11, 2003 that "the officer is transferred to Pension Establishment from November 16, 2000'' his benefits were not being released on one pretext or the other.

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