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Prasar Bharati top brass wrangling gets murkier
The ongoing tussle among the Prasar Bharati top brass has taken a new twist with its Board deciding to recommend to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry removal of Member (Finance) A K Jain from the post as it was "not satisfied with the performance" of the permanent member.
At the recent Board meeting, Acting CEO of Prasar Bharati Rajiv Takru, had made a strong plea for the removal of Jain following which the Board made up its mind to make a formal referral to the I&B Ministry to repatriate Jain to his cadre, sources said. The Board decision is the culmination of the ongoing fight between Takru and Jain.
“The Board will put the instances against Jain to the ministry and ask it to consider these serious allegations and move the Cabinet Secretariat for Jain's repatriation," they said.
According to sources, apparently there were some basic discrepancies in the accounts for 2009 and 2010 and Jain was asked to remove them, but the revised proposal put before the Board remained unchanged. Also, there were complaints that Jain was not monitoring the accounts properly and was not cooperating with the workings or attending meetings of various committees, they claimed.
However, sources close to Jain refuted all allegations terming them as "baseless, motivated, malafide and unfounded". They claimed that even the CAG had certified the accounts and there were no discrepancies and that Jain was being harassed and targeted during the past one year as he was highlighting the corrupt practices of Takru.
The Board was reportedly miffed with Jain, who being the only permanent member after retirement of suspended CEO B S Lalli and Member Personnel, had earlier moved the Delhi High Court against divesting of his powers which led to notices being issued to Board through Chairperson Mrinal Pande.
"Jain is a habitual litigant who is not interested in work. He takes leave without applying for it," the anti-Jain faction charged and also pointed out that the post of Member (Finance) is for additional secretary level while Jain who had joined it as Joint Secretary has not yet been empanelled for the post.
I& B Ministry officials said they did not receive the Board's recommendations and in any case, would not interfere in the matter.
The ongoing tussle among the Prasar Bharati top brass has taken a new twist with its Board deciding to recommend to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry removal of Member (Finance) A K Jain from the post as it was "not satisfied with the performance" of the permanent member.
At the recent Board meeting, Acting CEO of Prasar Bharati Rajiv Takru, had made a strong plea for the removal of Jain following which the Board made up its mind to make a formal referral to the I&B Ministry to repatriate Jain to his cadre, sources said. The Board decision is the culmination of the ongoing fight between Takru and Jain.
“The Board will put the instances against Jain to the ministry and ask it to consider these serious allegations and move the Cabinet Secretariat for Jain's repatriation," they said.
According to sources, apparently there were some basic discrepancies in the accounts for 2009 and 2010 and Jain was asked to remove them, but the revised proposal put before the Board remained unchanged. Also, there were complaints that Jain was not monitoring the accounts properly and was not cooperating with the workings or attending meetings of various committees, they claimed.
However, sources close to Jain refuted all allegations terming them as "baseless, motivated, malafide and unfounded". They claimed that even the CAG had certified the accounts and there were no discrepancies and that Jain was being harassed and targeted during the past one year as he was highlighting the corrupt practices of Takru.
The Board was reportedly miffed with Jain, who being the only permanent member after retirement of suspended CEO B S Lalli and Member Personnel, had earlier moved the Delhi High Court against divesting of his powers which led to notices being issued to Board through Chairperson Mrinal Pande.
"Jain is a habitual litigant who is not interested in work. He takes leave without applying for it," the anti-Jain faction charged and also pointed out that the post of Member (Finance) is for additional secretary level while Jain who had joined it as Joint Secretary has not yet been empanelled for the post.
I& B Ministry officials said they did not receive the Board's recommendations and in any case, would not interfere in the matter.
