Indore (Madhya Pradesh ): The stenographer known to have demanded a bribe from a retired range officer was finally suspended on Monday. He was issued a show-cause notice in December after an audio-recording of him demanding a bribe from a retired official went viral on social media.
“BL Verma has been suspended after he failed to answer and justify the charges against him in the show-cause notice,” HS Mohanta, chief conservator of forests (CCF), said.
The stenographer of the chief conservator of forests (CCF), Indore, had sought a bribe from a retired ranger for completing some formalities, according to an audio-recording of the voice call that went viral in December.
The retired range officer, Chandrashekhar Shortiya, was asking the steno BL Verma to help him with his pension and resolve the issue that had been pending for three months. However, Verma said, “On your assurance of Rs 10,000…I’m stuck now, as I gave books worth Rs 6,000 to the children of the CCF.” Further, the retired range officer had tried to explain the situation and assured him that he would settle the matter. Verma had continued to insist on the amount and said, “It won’t get resolved like this…you must come in person and settle.”
When Shortiya had asked about the CM’s helpline and other complaints raised, Verma had denied any possibility of the problem being resolved. A complaint was also raised citing the audio-recording to the additional principal chief conservator of forests, Vigilance Complaints, MP Forest Department, Bhopal.
Initially, as soon as Verma returned, all the files related to the departmental inquiry and disciplinary proceedings were taken away from him. He was, initially, shifted to the Establishment section till the as long as the investigation was on, as shared by Mohanta.
Another name heard in the audio-recording was Malviya. “Malviya—the other name that was heard—will be issued a charge-sheet and a departmental enquiry will be initiated against him. This will come from DFO, Indore,” Mohanta said. It is still in process since December. He added that Malviya had been asked to explain why there was a delay in providing the documents to the retired range officer, thereby causing delay in finalising the case.
