Scheduled Castes panel orders arrest of senior bureaucrat

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The National Commission for Scheduled Castes Tuesday ordered Delhi Police to arrest the central government’s secretary, higher education, for failing to appear before it for hearing in a case.

“National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairperson P.L. Punia has issued warrant of arrest against Ashok Thakur, secretary, higher education, ministry of human resource development, for disobeying summons to appear for hearing in a case,” said a release by the commission.

Expressing displeasure over the “disrespect to the constitutional authority by non-appearance when summoned”, Punia ordered the Delhi Police Commissioner to arrest and present Thakur before the commission April 15.

The commission issued a summons to the secretary after a complaint was filed by Indu Choudhary, general secretary, SC/ST Employee Welfare Association, at the Banaras Hindu University. She alleged that the university authorities had ignored reservation policy while filling up vacant posts, and giving promotions and other benefits.

She had also alleged that the university has wrongfully deducted a sum of Rs.27,000 from her salary and framed a vigilance case against her when she objected to it.

Registering similar complaints, other office-bearers of the association also requested the commission for immediate intervention and corrective measures.

Thakur was asked by the commission to appear before it for the hearing of the case Monday. The hearing was called off after he failed to attend it.

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