Govt suspends IAS officer for controversial letter,orders dept probe

Sarvesh Mishra had sent notice mentioning its subject as 'to construct a temple at Ramjanmabhoomi'.

Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday suspended IAS officer Sarvesh Chandra Mishra and initiated a departmental probe against him for signing a meeting notice to senior police and administration officers mentioning its subject as to construct a temple at Ramjanmabhoomi.

A government communiqué said Mishra - a 1997-batch officer,who was the Home Secretary of Uttar Pradesh before he was shunted out Saturday - signed on the notice,which had a wrong,very misleading and controversial subject. This act of him created a confusing situation and a completely wrong message went among the public, it said.

Mishra has been suspended with immediate effect and a decision to initiate a departmental inquiry against him has been taken,the statement said,adding that Mishra will remain attached to the Board of Revenue during the period of his suspension.

The government had transferred Mishra and suspended section officer of the home department,Prem Kumar Pandey,after claiming to have conducted an inquiry in wake of the controversial letter.

The subject of the meeting notice issued by Mishra on October 8,to senior police and administration officers was mentioned as: Regarding the construction of temple at Ramjanmabhoomi like the reconstruction of Somnath temple,with enacting a parliamentary law by Government of India.

On Saturday,Principal Secretary (Home) R M Srivastava said the meeting notice had mistakenly carried an intelligence input about the Vishwa Hindu Parishads Sankalp Diwas agenda,as subject. He said the meeting was meant to discuss the programmes proposed by VHP as part of its Sankalp Diwas.

Srivastava said it was the result of a clerical mistake and negligence on part of some officials,and the letter was not related to any decision about government policy.

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