Misuse of official position complaint: Railway Board orders probe

A group of employees belonging to a particular Union had been misusing their position

No prior sanction was obtained by any employees to hold the elective office of the society

Chennai: The Railway Board has directed General Manager, Southern Railway to inquire into a complaint of alleged violations of official positions by the directors of Chennai-based Railway Employees Co-operative Credit Society Ltd. (RECCS) on 22.05.2018 to the Chairman, Railway Board.

The society has a turnover of more than Rs 5,000 crore a year. The society is registered under multi-state co-operative credit society which comes under the purview of the agriculture ministry.

All the documents are in the possession with a copy of a letter written by Railway Board Director/E(G) Anita Gautam on April 5 to the General Manager, Southern Railway for an inquiry into a complaint filed by R. C. Cyril Thiagaraj, secretary of the RECCS staff union.

In his complaint dated May 22, 2018, Cyril alleged that a group of employees belonging to a particular railway union had been misusing their position to occupy the elective office of the RECCS board of directors. He has given names of 13 employees of Southern Railway, one of South Western Railway and one ICF staffer.

“As per rule 15(c) of Railway Services (conduct) Rules 1966, no servant shall, except with the previous sanction of the government, hold elective office or canvas for a candidate or candidates,” Thiagaraj said.

Thiagaraj in his complaint cited RTI replies received from railway departments concerned that no prior sanction was obtained by any employees to hold the elective office of the society.

These employees assumed their elective office on January 28, 2018, Thiagaraj said. “They had acted as a cartel to amass illegal wealth misusing their position as railway employees and hence an investigation was necessary,” Thiagaraj said in his letter.

Courtesy: TOI