​Finance Ministry Orders Compulsory Retirement of 15 More Central Govt Officers Over Corruption Charges

New Delhi: The Ministry of Finance’s Revenue department on Tuesday issued a statement ordering retirement of 15 of its officials.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (j) of rule 56 of the Fundamental Rules, the President of India has retired 15 Officers of Indian Revenue Service (C&CE) in public interest with immediate effect on completing 50 years of age,” tweeted Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.

The statement from the ministry also stated that all 15 officers shall be paid a sum equivalent to the amount of pay and allowances for a period of 3 months calculated at the same rate at which they were supposed to be withdrawing them (pay and allowances) immediately before their retirement.

All officers belong to Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). This is the second time this month that the Centre has taken such a decision.

On 10 June, twelve senior government officers, including the Chief Commissioner, Principal Commissioners and the Commissioner of Income Tax Department were directed by the Finance Ministry to retire under Rule 56 of the General Financial Rules (GFRs).

Sources informed that some of these officers are found guilty of corruption, having illegal and disproportionate assets and sexual harassment.

News18 had earlier reported that the Cabinet Secretariat and the Central Vigilance Commission had over the past few days given verbal instructions to the vigilance heads in many departments to expedite the process of identifying officers for compulsory retirement under Fundamental Rule 56(j) of Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972.

Though 56(j) that provides for compulsory retirement of government staff in public interest has existed for several decades, it has sparingly been invoked.

Under 56 (j), the performance of an officer who has turned 50 or 55 or has completed 30 years of service (whichever is earlier,) is being reviewed to ascertain if he/she is liable for compulsory retirement.

This rule to punish non-performers was revisited immediately after the first Modi government came to power in May 2014.

Among high-profile 56 (j) retirements in the recent past are MN Vijaykumar (IAS), K Narasimha (IAS), Mayank Sheel Chohan (IPS) and Raj Kumar Dewangan (IPS).