The Border Security Force (BSF) has cancelled the voluntary retirement of constable Tej Bahadur Yadav who had posted a video raising concerns about the “poor quality” of food served to jawans in forward locations.
Video goes viral
Mr. Yadav’s application for voluntary retirement was accepted last year and he posted a video in January which went viral on social media. Following this, the BSF and the Home Ministry ordered an enquiry into the allegations. A BSF official said Mr. Yadav was to retire on January 31 but considering the enquiry pending against him, his voluntary retirement had been cancelled.
Mr. Yadav’s wife, however, alleged that the trooper was being “threatened and tortured mentally.”
She claimed that her husband had called her on Thursday morning and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he had been put under arrest.
Officials in the force say that as per the laid down procedure under a CoI, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is completed even as the trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline on various counts and hence in such a case the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed.
Mr. Yadav, wearing camouflage uniform and carrying a rifle, claimed in the video that while government procures essentials for them, the higher-ups and officers “sell it off” in an “illegal” manner in the market and that they have to suffer.
He also posted other videos saying the the food served was not of good quality.
“His voluntary retirement has been cancelled pending the court of inquiry and finalisation of its recommendations. Cancellation of VRS was communicated to Tej Bahadur on January 30,” a BSF official said.
Earlier, the Home Ministry had refused to accept the report submitted by the Border Security Force regarding the Facebook video posted by the jawan where he raises concern about the poor quality of food served to them.
