ALAPPUZHA: Shibin Thomas, 34, is a frustrated man after serving the country as a BSF jawn for 13 years. He was jailed on flimsy charges and dismissed from service on March 3 without any service benefits throwing him and his family at north Aryad here into utter despair. He returned home--Ittiyam Vilayil-- early this week after spending ten days in the jail at Raiganj, West Bengal, where he served in the 28 battalion. He was the sole breadwinner of his family consisting of his parents Thomas John, 55 , mother Rosamma Thomas, 49, and wife Sophiya. He plans to send a detailed letter to the PMO and hopes the prime minister would help him.
His dismissal order was signed by S.K. Misra, Commandant, 28 battalion, saying he was found guilty of all five charges by the Summary Security Force Court (SSFC). He was charged with insubordination and disobeying the lawful command given by his superior officer. "I was locked up in a dingy cell and not allowed to get out of the room or speak to anyone. My cell phones were seized and I was mentally tortured," he recalled. "Disobeying command is not a ground to dismiss a jawan. I refused to go to the Bangladesh border and work under a woman commandant. It was a conspiracy to trap me and frame me with more serious charges.
The case of using unprofessional language was fabricated. They wanted to take revenge on me for filing an RTI application seeking the details of the battalion expenses from the Ministry of Home Affairs. I had pointed fingers at their organised plunder of the tax payers' money. That's why they dismissed me after 13 years of service. They could have removed me on medical grounds. Now, I won't get a job with any reputed company," he lamented.
He was treated by the officials like a criminal. They did not allow him to stay there after the collar- cutting event (the last ritual performed on a dismissed jawan). When he was taken out of the cell on the morning of March 3, the vehicle carrying his belongings was waiting in front of the office. He was made to change into civil dress sitting in the vehicle and dropped at the Raiganj railway station without giving him even pocket money to reach home," Shibin said.
