Extensive investigations carried out from November '95 to February'96 could not fetch material for charge sheeting. Having failed in a long-pursuit time-laboured efforts to generate something spectacular against me, the charge sheet is a last minute effort to hurl against me whatever missiles they could get under directions of Mr."J". It is an act that excels in the captious desire searching something or other to stick to the amoral mission. Some of these are described blow:
Generate an anonymous complaint in the first instance against my office to arm with a lever.
Such a complaint will normally be sent to the Inspection & Control Division or to the zonal office for investigation and disposal. But here the complaint is dealt with by the GM (personnel) and he arranges deputation of a chosen Inspector (a junior in scale II) Mr."VKB" duly tutored with mandate to stay as long as he desired until he gets some concrete evidence against me.
The inspector came in November (1995) beginning and stayed up to February (1996). He tried to rope in employees to depose against me. He tried to influence the canteen contractor and for this purpose took him alone to the basement and tried to brainwash, but could not make a success.
He tried to unduly influence my loans-officer Mrs."SR", but could make no gain here also. Desperate he also made some adverse comments on the loans officer in his final report.
A bulky venomous document filled with abuses and filthy accusations, that will turn any reader sick, was submitted against me. The inspector had overacted and thus spoiled his mission himself. It was alleged that one of the borrowers, to whom Mr"VKB" went direct from his residence to meet (without my accompanying him or without any information to me), offered him money representing illegal gratification and that it was done at my instance. Mr."VKB" is a public servant and if bribe was offered to him, it is an offence under Section 12 of P.C.Act, 1988 (earlier Section 165A of the IPC). He was duty bound to prefer a FIR with the police on the spot. But he did nothing like that.
The despicable report of Mr."VKB" was sent to me for my comments in March 1996. I was given 15 days time for a reply. I replied the same refuting each and every abuse leveled against me with logical facts, figures and reason to my zonal office, Delhi, where the zonal manager was one Mr."VS", unbiased and fair minded, as also cultured and efficient in management. He entrusted the processing of my replies to Mr."IPG", Sr.Manager. Mr."IPG" minutely studied both the allegations and the replies. He was aghast and appalled on the standard of investigation-report and the type of mud slinging laboured therein. The Sr.Manager made an objective assessment and put up the note that the investigation report is a farce and the zonal manager recommended for its abject closure and forwarded his recommendations to Personnel Division.
At Head Office the file came to the Sr.Manager (DAC) Mr"OPA". His job was reviewing the recommendations of the zonal office and put up a final note to the GM (Personnel). Mr."OPA" is not a camp follower. He worked under Mr."G", but did not inherit the mannerism and precocity of the Chief for twisting and bending discipline management at DAC section. He endorsed the recommendations of the zonal manager and forwarded further up.
If a person is deemed honest and someone hurls a wrong record about him, and subsequently a higher authority sets things right it is not held confidential. It is not an official secret. The facts were given to me by none other than the Zonal Manager Mr."VS" (also a General Manager of the Bank).
The elaborate fireworks misfired. Mr."J" and Mr."G" were disabled. A parallel investigation at my earlier branch Mysore was again attempted. Another vigilance inspector Mr."AKJ" was selected and deputed to Mysore. It was again a backfire. A right person was selected, but for a wrong assignment. If there were a case against me at Mysore, Mr"AKJ" would have been the most competent Investigator to investigate and report. But he did not possess the expertise to twist out a rope from out of the sands of the river. He extensively interviewed the staff of Mysore and the customers and gave his findings objectively. It turned out to be a report speaking good things about me.
Two unguided missile thrown at me and both missed to hit. March, April and May and most part of June were over. I was to retire on 30th June 1996. The current date in the calendar was 20th June. Mr."G" advised Mr"J", the GM to transfer his trusted friend and ally Mr."KKG" working as Chief Manager of the Branch at Greater Kailash to the Zonal Office as Chief Manager and entrust the task of generating a charge sheet on him. Mr"KKG" was telephonically advised to carry out the assignment of generating a charge sheet. He telephoned to my office to my successor-designate Mr. MSJ" on 22.6.1996 (one weak before my retirement) for particulars of overdrawn accounts (irregular accounts as technically called). This was in my presence. A charge sheet was drafted in the next three days and sent to Head office this time with the recommendations of the Zonal Manager, and it reached Head office on 27.06.1996. The charge sheet was presented to me signed by Mr."J", the General Manager (Personnel) and Disciplinary Authority dated 29.06.1996 through personal messenger at my office to me on the afternoon, with another order(sanction) of the CMD to conduct disciplinary enquiry after retirement and to keep my retirement benefits on hold in the meanwhile. This is how the profaned charge sheet, actually conceived in principle eighteen months before, when posting me in Tilak Nagar Branch in November '94 and laboured for eight months from November'95 was finally born by end of June'96, the last to crown glory of managing discipline against me in the bank.
Though my own contribution of Provident Fund cannot be detained after my date of superannuation, despite the enquiry, this was released belatedly only in the month October, 96, i.e. after delay of three months. In such a case the rules permit release of provisional pension to me with immediate effect, since I will not be drawing any salary from July onwards. This was again held back and released in December 96 only. These are due to persons with petty thinking holding charge of big posts. I specifically name Mr."G" and Mr."J" and Mr."KKG" for the indefinite delay.
The next challenge to overcome is to convert the charge sheet into an enquiry officer's report holding at least part of the charges as proved. The assignment is divided between Mr."J" and Mr."G" to select suitable enquiry officer and presenting officer respectively. The General Manager Mr."J" selected Mr."Asaithambi", Dy.General Manager, Priority Sector & Lead Bank Division. Mr."J" had in store his own plans to get things by Mr.Asaithambi in due course.
Mr."KKG" enticed Mr."MSJ", my successor at BO.Tilak Nagar. "We are appointing you as presenting officer. Promotions to Scale V are due to be made shortly. Show your worth in this critical assignment. Your efforts will not go waste". The bait worked with Mr."MSJ", but he was not competent for the job. He could not even draft the Presenting Officer's brief at the end of the enquiry. And delayed for 2 months and finally Mr."KKG" had to help him. The PO's brief was word processed at the computer of the zonal office. And I received the computer print in December middle, after a delay of 2 months.
Mr."Asaithambi" had no brief initially and he conducted the proceedings in a manner that appeared as thoroughly objective during the enquiry. During the proceedings he even advised Mr."MSJ", the PO to admit as not proved in the PO's brief those allegations that lacked totally substance or evidence. There were quite a few of this category. He also made a statement that once the brief comes to him from both of us (PO & CO), he will not delay matters for more than a week.
But before time the enquiry took place in October 96, Mr."Asaithambi" was shifted from the Priority Sector & Lead Bank division, located at No.5, Parliament Street, to Personnel Division as Dy.General Manager located at the same office along with Mr."J" at Bhikaiji Cama Place. He came within direct jurisdiction and authority of Mr"J".
The briefs were both submitted in December'96. The delay was due to abnormally late submission of PO's brief. CO's briefs to be submitted by me after receipt of the PO's brief. But the Inquiry Officer submitted his report only in the middle of May '97 after five months. Why this delay and what happened to his earlier promise to submit the report within 7 days? The inside story is that he submitted a report originally in January'97. It was not suitable to the Disciplinary Authority. He was brainwashed to revise and submit a fresh report. This has delayed the finalization of the case. This is only my logical surmise based on factual circumstances. Mr."Asaithambi" is a competent Officer and the charge sheet was comparatively small, with few allegations. Mr."Asaithambi" himself made a commitment that he will submit the IO's report within 7 days of submission of brief by the PO and me. There are no other grounds for the delay. Normal course Mr."Asaithambi" would not be influenced. But after the enquiry is completed, a bait appears to have been sprang to Mr."Asaithambi". The long held up promotion of Mr."Asaithambi" to Scale VII was promised to be released and within a few months, he was posted at Zonal Manager, Delhi Zone and also promoted to Scale VII. The truth should be known to Mr."OPA", the Sr.Manager, DAC, to the extent of the reasons for late submission of the EO's brief. .
I was punished by reduction of two increments. I had already drawn my salary for the last month of my service in full. I had no more salary to be drawn. But the punishment was not awarded by Mr."J". He was to retire on 31.03.1997. But before that he was suspended from service, based on a vigilance case having been registered by CBI against him. Had Mr."J" was in power in May'97 he would have prevailed on Mr."Asaithambi" and got a finding that all charges are proved and tried to give me a more harsh punishment? Mr."W" succeeded Mr."J", as GM (Personnel) and the disposal of the case was by him.
Mr."OPA" was more considerate. He consoled me saying Mr.Kannan this punishment will have no effect on you. You will get your full pension and leave encashment. You are deemed to have retired as a honourable employee and eligible to all concessions applicable to retired employees from the Bank. I had done my duty at my end. He is a right man under wrong bosses. He had to balance between difficult options. But he chose is words most carefully and maintained a dignity, half of which if accepted by those above him, MYBANK will prosper enormously.
Mr"W",the GM is no more. He expired. Mr."J" and the CMD are shown the doors by the Government and they have ingloriously left the Bank. Persons who are aware of the total events relating to this charge sheet are only Mr."OPA", an objective witness and Mr."G", an accused. At the level of Zonal Office Mr."IPG", Sr.Manager knows the full details up to the issue of the charge sheet. Truth is absolute and it cannot be extinguished by anyone. And the real profile and personality of each and everyone in an Institution is well known within inner circles.
The investigation was ordered in November '95, eight months before my due date for retirement. If there is a bonafide case against me, holding such extensive powers the Chairman and General Manager could find no obstacles in their way to punish me as they wanted well before March' 96. That is, three months before my retirement. Here the weak man is seen as stable, calm and unperturbed; while and the all-powerful omnipotent authorities seem to queer and choose to stoop to the lowest levels. You mighty bosses, Why do you become pitiable and allow everyone the last laugh?
Please review for your selves, if you have understood the meaning of the terms "Malice", "Malafide" and "Victimisation". This is the purpose of giving these incidents. Only the difference is that real life experiences are narrated by way of examples.
