PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
The State administration has suspended the district excise officer (DEO) of Dehradun KP Singh. His suspension order was issued by the Excise commissioner Anuradha Pal on Friday. The commissioner has also recommended a high level inquiry has also been ordered against Singh and has attached him to her office till further orders.
Singh has been accused of misleading the senior officers and showing laxity in shifting of the liquor shops and presenting false facts to the officers.
The administration has also made the recommendation of action made by the district magistrate of Dehradun and the comment made by the chief standing counsel of the State as the basis of punitive action on Singh.
It is pertinent to mention here that in view of the road accidents and the problem of traffic jams, the district road safety committee in its meeting held on March 27 had recommended shifting of six liquor shops in Dehradun. Following the recommendation of the committee, the district administration in an order dated May 13 asked the Excise department to shift these shops within a week. It also directed the department to submit a report on the issue till May 22. However no action was taken by the department on shifting of shops. Meanwhile, the licensees of these shops filed a petition against shifting order in the Uttarakhand High Court. It is alleged that the DEO Singh placed evidence in the HC without approval of the senior officers which made the position of the administration weak in the case. On June 27, the HC disposed of the petition directing administration for a revision hearing. In the hearing the principal secretary Excise also found the order of the DM Dehradun correct and fixed July 31 as the last date of shifting of the shops.
DM Dehradun Savin Bansal in his report found the role of Singh as highly irresponsible and recommended a high level inquiry and suspension of the officer.
