Centre approves Gajbhiye suspension: Odisha Home Secretary

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Oct 19:

Former Kendrapara SP and suspended IPS officer Satish Gajbhiye has been served a notice by the Odisha government’s Home department  and the Centre has also confirmed his suspension as per All India Service Rule, according to Odisha Home Secretary.

The notice seeks a reply from the beleaguered IPS officer to explain as to why action should not be taken against him. Gajbhiye has been asked to reply within 30 days.

“Satish Gajbhiye was suspended on August 13. Draft charge was also framed against him under All India Service Rule. He was intimated about it through the Director General of Police and has been asked to comply with it within 30 days,” said Home Secretary Asit Tripathy, adding that the Centre has also confirmed the suspension and draft charge.

It is only after attempts to give Gajbhiye a slip by the state government were exposed in the media that the Home department has served a notice on him, sources privy to the decision revealed.

Gajbhiye was put under suspension by the state government on August 13 after the IPS officer mired in controversy over the Sarathi Baba issue and purchase of huge tracts of land in his wife’s name in Nimapara turned out to be an Achilles heel for the government.

Notably, rules require that state government has to send a report to the Centre after framing charges within 45 days from the date of suspension which has not been done in Gajbhiye’s case.

The police directorate had allegedly sat over the files and deliberately delayed framing charges against the senior police officer. On the other hand the Home department which is directly under Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik stood a mute spectator.

It was only after this was exposed by the media last week; it pushed the Home department to a corner.
Principal secretary of the Home department has served a notice to Gajbhiye on October 13 after charges were framed against him. The Centre has also given a go ahead to ex-Kendrapara SP Gajbhiye’s suspension as per All India Service Rule.