Even as the Himachal government recently reinstated IAS officer Sanjay Gupta, who was facing bribery charges and a disproportionate assets case, on October 12, it now emerges that just a few days before, a review committee set up by the government had recommended to extend his suspension.

In response to an RTI application filed by The Indian Express, the state government’s Personnel Department has said the review committee, headed by state Chief Secretary Asha Swaroop in its October 8 meeting, had recommended that Gupta’s suspension may be extended for another three months considering several cases pending against him.

He is facing an inquiry by the state’s Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau for corruption and holding assets disproportionate to his income.

The committee, however, recommended that his subsistence allowance may be enhanced by 50 per cent of the existing amount. Beside chief secretary, two additional chief secretaries, Avay Shukla and Harinder Hira, were also members of the review committee.

The two-page recommendation of the review committee and a official noting to the chief minister says, “ The Review Committee recommends the extension of suspension for a three months period beyond 8.10.2009.The committee also recommends to increase subsistence allowing not exceeding 50 per cent of the existing allowance.”

Interestingly, in his reinstatement order on October 12, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had not assigned any reason for overruling the recommendations of the Committee.

After his arrest in July 2009 allegedly with Rs 2 lakh cash, Gupta was placed under suspension by the government.

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