Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

TDB staff accused of pilferage get posting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Employees of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) accused of pilferage from a centre set up for sorting and counting offerings by pilgrims at Sabarimala are allegedly being deployed for the same work.

According to Board sources, cases of pilfering currency notes and gold coins are pending against some of the employees in courts, but such employees are again being deployed before being absolved of the charges.

The alleged laxity of the Board in probing such cases and initiating disciplinary action has prompted a section of the employees to continue such crimes.

The vigilance wing of the Board has pointed out specific instances of employees smuggling out Rs. 1,000, Rs. 500 and dollar notes and gold coins out of the centre. Some of the employees are caught red-handed too.

Earlier, the Board used to take instant action, including dismissal from service, against those found guilty. But over the years, the punishment was diluted and it has been reduced to a routine departmental procedure. Some of the employees suspended from service have been reinstated after barring an annual increment. The minor penalty has not deterred them from involving in such cases, sources said.

This is in spite of a specific court directive to summarily dismiss the guilty from service without giving scope for further appeal. On the face of the directive, the Board opted for routine procedures such as serving a show-cause notice and conducting a departmental inquiry into the charges raised against the employees.

There are complaints about delay in taking follow-up action on police cases pending in court. While the guilty often escape unhurt, those designated to take follow-up action land in trouble for want of support from the officers concerned, sources said.

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