BHOPAL: In a bizarre incident, a police constable drew a salary of around Rs 35 lakh in 12 years, despite neither reporting for duty nor undergoing the mandatory training after his recruitment in 2011-2012.A native of central MP’s Vidisha district, Abhishek was among those recruited as constables in the state police in 2011-12. He appeared at the Bhopal District Lines for joining much later than other constables of his batch. He was subsequently sent for mandatory training at the Police Training School in Sagar district after induction into the police force. However, instead of going for training, Abhishek went to his home in the neighbouring Vidisha district and neither underwent training nor reported for duty for 12 long years.During his entire period of undue absence from duty, he neither informed the department about it nor did he ever apply for leave, yet he managed to get the monthly salary for 12 long years.Abhishek then sent his service file through the speed post to Bhopal, citing ill health. Surprisingly, his service file was accepted by the department concerned in Bhopal without any verification, resulting in Abhishek receiving Rs 35 lakh as salary over the next 12 years.The shocking irregularity came to light in 2023, when service records were being reviewed as part of the mandatory exercise for the 10-year-time scale pay grade of the 2011-12 batch constables.“The service record check revealed no rewards, no punishments and no duty records, which was outlandish. He (Abhishek) was summoned by the department’s establishment branch, after which he finally appeared, making it clear he had not served the police even a single day,” said ACP-Bhopal Ankita Khaterkar, who is probing the matter.He has already returned Rs 1 lakh to the department and promised to pay back in instalments the salary drawn in 12 years. A departmental probe is underway.
Source link
