Kendrapara June 3 :The State government on Tuesday withdrew the extra pensionary benefits extended to Kendrapara MP Anubhav Mohanty’s father Abhaya Kumar Mohanty for submitting fake certificate to get promotion as Reader in 1997.<\/p>\n
In an order issued by Secretary Saswat Mishra, the Higher Education department said Abhaya’s placement as Reader with effect from January 2, 1997 in the pay scale of Rs 12,000-420-Rs 18,300 via notification dated May 3, 2008 on the basis of fake refresher certificate has been cancelled and accordingly his claim for pensionary benefits in the revised scale of pay is rejected for being devoid of merit.<\/p>\n
In 2008, Abhaya was promoted to the post of Reader retrospectively from January 2, 1997. Participation in two refresher courses of at least four weeks duration each was the eligibility criterion for placement in Reader grade.<\/p>\n
Later, allegations were received that he had produced fake refresher course certificate, the order stated.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, an inquiry was conducted by the deputy director who submitted his report on August 29, 2009 with the findings that the certificate for the course period from December 1 to 28, 1993 purportedly issued by Berhampur University was a fake and manufactured one. Accordingly, the department had stopped his promotional arrears in 2009.<\/p>\n
However, in 2010, Abhaya filed a petition in the Orissa High Court seeking payment of his arrear salary as Reader in English at Kandarpur College, and all service and pensionary benefits in the revised scale of pay. He contended that there was no need for him to undergo any training to avail the benefits as the UGC in 2008 exempted college teachers, superannuating within three years, from attending these for placement or promotion under Career Advancement Scheme.<\/p>\n
The HC in April this year disposed of the matter with the observation that it needs to be verified by the department authorities and benefits as admissible to the petitioner be released accordingly.<\/p>\n
Rejecting the claim of the petitioner, the department underlined that the UGC circular was not applicable to Abhaya as the gap between his promotion to Reader and his superannuation is more than 13 years. “The petitioner, being in a noble profession of a college teacher and bestowed with an onerous responsibility of shaping the future of students, shouldn’t have resorted to such fraudulent means for self-gain,” the order said.<\/p>\n