R.S. Biradar, designated Food Safety Officer at Kalaburagi City Corporation, has been placed under suspension pending enquiry with immediate effect on the charge of dereliction of duty and misconduct.
Exercising his powers conferred under Rule 10(1)(d) of the Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1957, Subhod Yadav, Commissioner, Food Safety, Health and Family Welfare Services, issued an order on Saturday.
Mr. Biradar was facing multiple charges, including failure in discharging his duties pertaining to food safety, submitting monthly progress reports to higher authorities, irregularities in outsourcing certain office works and misappropriating funds and causing losses to the Exchequer.
The order said that the officer in question misused his powers by appointing Neelakanta Biradar as an office assistant on contract basis without approval from the authorities concerned, though there was no such sanctioned post, which was in violation of rules and norms in force that allowed taking computer operators for office work only from human resources firm.
The officer is also charged with illegally applying the pay scale of promoted junior food safety officer as per Rule 42(b) of Karnataka Civil Services Rules for himself incurring losses to the Exchequer. The order said that the officer had failed to submit a report, though he was directed to submit one.
Mr. Yadav found the response given by the officer to the show-cause notice unsatisfactory and passed an order placing him under suspension.
