Govt sacks Income Tax officer for absenting from duty for over 5 years

New Delhi: A senior Income Tax department officer has been sacked for allegedly being on "continuous" leave in an "unauthorised" manner for over five years.

The case pertains to Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Siddharth Panda who was last posted as a Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax in Mumbai in 2007 and had applied for a two-year study leave for pursuing an MBA course from a foreign university.

According to the termination from service notification issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the officer did not resume work in 2009 and instead sent a request for extension of leave which was rejected by his superior authorities.

The officer was directed to resume duty immediately but did not comply.

Since then, he remained on "unauthorised absence from duty for a continuous period exceeding five years", the order said.

It further said Panda "neither reported for duty nor appeared before the authority (Inquiry Officer) to explain for his long absence."

This "continuous absence" by the officer has been treated as "deemed resignation from the IRS with immediate effect."

"The officer will not be entitled for any retirement benefits," the order issued by the CBDT against the officer said.

It cited DoPT rules governing these issues and referred to Rule 12 (2) of CCS (Leave) Rules, 1972 which states that a government servant who remains absent from duty for a continuous period exceeding five years other than on foreign service, with or without leave, shall be deemed to have resigned from the government service provided that a reasonable opportunity to explain the reasons for such absence be given to that government servant before provisions of sub-rule (2) are invoked.

"Panda had not resumed (his posting) and continued to remain on unauthorised absence from duty for a continuous period exceeding five years from June 27, 2009...the President of India is pleased to treat continuous absence of Panda as deemed resignation from IRS with immediate effect," it said.

CBDT had taken similar action against an absenting woman IRS officer in January this year.