The Madhya Pradesh government has extended the suspension of 1978 batch IAS couple Arvind and Tinu Joshi, accused for amassing huge wealth, by another 180 days, official sources said here today. The government decided to extend the suspension period as the Nirmala Buch committee set up in July last year to look into the matter is yet to submit its report.
The decision on the extension was taken by a three-member review committee headed by Chief Secretary Avani Vaish, they said.
The other two members of the committee are additional Chief Secretary, Forest, M K Roy and Secretary, GAD, Alka Upadhyaya.
The Joshi couple was suspended in February last year after Income Tax officials recovered whopping Rs 360 crore from their residence in a raid.
One would have thought that the couple already stood removed from service, having been found “in possession” of the assets/wealth/unaccounted cash in excess of the couple’s known sources of income. It is not known why such people must be paid “suspension pay” and be allowed to satay in Govt accommodation and even paid air/train fares (above 3rd class ordy rly fars) to travel for their case. This absence of a suitable provision in the PCA (to the effect that, once a person/govt. servant is found in “possession” of undisclosed wealth/cash/bullion/assets acquired prima facie in excess of known sources of his/her income, the onus of proof must shift to him and all such assets must forthwith be confiscated/acquired by the Govt. and they must be made to vacate govt. premises, etc), there would be no need for another authority like LOKPAL or a new Act to fight corruption. Just a few simple amendments in the PCA.
One thing is, however, certain. In case the people were from any lesser service or petty staff/employee/junior functionary, they would have been ruined by now.