LoP hits out at repeated reappointment of retired bureaucrats, seeks probe

Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury on Friday questioned the repeated reappointment of retired bureaucrats in Tripura and sought an independent probe into allegations of irregularities surfaced against some of them.

Addressing a press conference at the Assembly here, the CPI(M) leader alleged that several retired officers were being retained in government positions even after completion of their tenure, raising concerns over the process of their reappointment.

Chaudhury claimed that retired IAS officer Anindya Kumar Bhattacharya had been reappointed seven times and is currently serving as Special Secretary while also holding charge of GAPLT. He alleged that Bhattacharya was facing allegations related to submission of fake travel allowance bills.

The opposition leader also alleged irregularities in the procurement and use of seven drones purchased from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) during Bhattacharya's tenure as Director of Fire and Emergency Services. He claimed that the drones, procured for firefighting and emergency operations, had neither been used during fire incidents nor in any mock drills.

He further alleged that lakhs of rupees were spent on repair of government vehicles at a garage in Barjala and sought a probe into the expenditure.

Referring to the Vigilance Department, Chaudhury claimed that TPS Grade-I officer Jeremy Darlong had submitted his resignation on July 7, alleging that he was unable to function independently because of pressure and humiliation from the concerned senior officer. He said the allegations, involving a Scheduled Tribe officer, warranted an impartial inquiry.

The opposition leader also raised allegations against Chief Minister's Secretary Pradip Kumar Chakraborty, claiming that he had received eight reappointments after retirement. Chaudhury alleged that Chakraborty had earlier faced allegations relating to land irregularities during his tenure as Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Belonia and also questioned his alleged land holdings in and around Agartala.

Chaudhury questioned the rationale behind repeated reappointment of a few retired bureaucrats and demanded a neutral investigation into all the allegations raised during the press conference.