Modi govt serves chargesheet to Kannan Gopinath, IAS who resigned over abrogation of Article 370

Kannan Gopinathan, who quit IAS in August over restrictions imposed in Kashmir, said in New Delhi on Wednesday that a memorandum for a departmental inquiry was issued by the Union Home Ministry to him two months after he submitted his resignation.

The 33-year-old IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre posted as the Power Secretary in the Union Territories of Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli, had tendered his resignation on August 21.

On Wednesday, Gopinathan hit out at the government saying that the government was unable to manage the clashes between lawyers and cops taking place ‘right under their nose’ but was keen to pester an officer who had resigned two months ago and posted a copy of the memorandum on Twitter issued by the Home Ministry, dated October 24 in a series of tweets;

"The disciplinary authority proposes to hold an inquiry against Gopinathan, IAS (AGMUT 2012), under Rule 8 of All India Services (Disciplinary & Appeal) Rules, 1969. The substance of the imputations of misconduct or misbehaviour in respect of which the inquiry is proposed to be held is set out in the enclosed statement of Articles of Charge (Annexure -I)," said the memorandum.

"A statement of the imputations of misconduct or misbehaviour in support of Articles of Charge is enclosed (Annexure-II). Gopinathan is directed to submit within 15 days of receipt of this memorandum, a written statement of his defence and also to state whether he desires to be heard in person," it said.

"He is informed that an inquiry will be held only in respect of those Articles of Charge, which are not admitted. He should, therefore, specifically admit or deny each Article of Charge." the memorandum said.

The Home Ministry had earlier issued him a show-cause notice on July 8 after receiving a proposal from the UT government for allegedly "indulging in various acts of omission and commission", including "act of insubordination" and "dereliction of duty".

The Home Ministry had said Gopinathan had submitted his reply to the notice on July 31 before submitting his resignation, saying he had carried out his work with honesty and diligence and hence "I request that the proposal to initiate disciplinary action may kindly be dropped and filed."

The IAS officer replied to the show-cause notice on July 31, denying charges of insubordination, dereliction of duty and dilatory tactics.

Kannan Gopinath had resigned as a secretary in the administrations of two Union Territories on August 21 over the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir objecting to the denial of the fundamental freedom of expression of Kashmiris after the communication clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir. He had said, the "denial of freedom of expression to the people of Jammu and Kashmir was not acceptable." He was then asked by the government to rejoin the service until his resignation was accepted.

With IANS inputs