In late August, Kannan Gopinathan, a young IAS officer created quite a ripple in the administrative circles after he announced his resignation over the communication blockade in Jammu and Kashmir.?
Now, the former bureaucrat who resigned as the secretary, Power & Non-Conventional Sources of Energy, of Dadra and Nagar Haveli has been served a notice by the Ministry of Home Affairs over his actions.
BCCL
The ministry, in the charge sheet, said Gopinathan had violated several service rules. These include ¡°bringing political influence¡±, procedural lapses like not completing project reports, etc.
Earlier, Gopinathan had tweeted about receiving a call from an official from Daman asking him for his address to send the charge sheet. Gopinathan told him that he did not own a home and lived in a rented place.?
On Tuesday, Gopinathan confirmed that he received the charge sheet and went on to 'reply' to the notice on Twitter.
"So, they emailed me the charge sheet. Well @HMOIndia, I know it must be tough as you are unable to manage what¡¯s happening between lawyers and police right under your nose. So in the interest of the nation, I do not want to trouble you more in your weak time. I acknowledge receipt," he wrote on Twitter.
BCCL
The charge sheet accused Gopinathan of acting "in a manner unbecoming of a Government servant, which includes insubordination, adoption of dilatory tactics and dereliction of duty on various occasions.
"This shows grave misconduct on the part of Gopinathan as he failed to maintain absolute integrity, devotion to duty, thereby contravening the provisions of Rule-3 of the All India Service (Conduct) Rules 1968."
It also instructed him not to resort to "political influence" in the course of the case.
In response, Gopinathan said, "Who is capable of politically influencing (the Ministry of Home Affairs) other than Amit Shah? Now if only I could influence him. But let me try anyway. Sir, please restore fundamental rights in Kashmir."
On the charges of leaving his post even before the resignation was accepted, Gopinathan wrote.?
"Next is that they are upset that I did not continue in Daman after submission of resignation. Fakeer aadmi hu na ab. Jhola uthake chal pada. Fakeeri yaad hoga. Don¡¯t feel bad. If Daman administration needs help to I still offer my services. Pro-bono though."
The 2012 batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory cadre officer who hails from Kottayam in Kerala, had first made headlines after it came to light that he had taken a leave from the job and was working discreetly at a flood relief camp in Kerala during the floods in 2018.?