Manmohan Singh, a 55-year-old officer working in the Income Tax Apellate Tribunal, Ranchi, had hanged himself on 5 June.
New Delhi: The suicide of an administrative officer in Ranchi has prompted the local chief commissioner of income tax, V. Mahalingam, to direct senior employees to deal with subordinates in a “courteous” manner.
Manmohan Singh, a 55-year-old officer working in the Income Tax Apellate Tribunal, Ranchi, hanged himself on 5 June, and colleagues have alleged that he took the step after being “humiliated” by Dhanbad income tax commissioner Sunil Babu, who holds additional charge of the Jharkhand capital.
The suicide has caused a standoff between the Income Tax Gazetted Officers’ Association (ITGOA) and local Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, with the former citing “professional pressure” as the trigger and seeking a CBI inquiry.
‘Abused and humiliated’
With Singh’s colleagues saying his death was “murder”, the ITGOA has pointed out that Babu visited the office a few days before the suicide.
At a meeting also attended by members of the Income Tax Employees Federation, an organisation representing non-gazetted staffers, the ITGOA sought to point out the alleged “humiliation and abuse” Singh suffered at the hands of Sunil Babu.
The meeting, held under the banner of ‘joint council action’, also demanded immediate grants for Singh’s family, and the withdrawal of all staff posted under Babu.
Colleagues defend IRS officer at centre of row
However, Babu’s colleagues in the IRS have come to Babu’s defence. In a letter addressed to the president of the IRS Association, they have requested that Babu be protected from “any sort of harassment at the hands of the local administration”.
They expressed grief at Singh’s death, but added that Babu was being “ostracized”. The officers have urged the IRS Association to direct the matter to the Central board of Direct taxes (CBDT).
Sword and words
The chief commissioner of the IRS department in Ranchi has since issued a notification directing officers to deal with subordinates in a “courteous” manner, noting that many used “unpleasant/unparliamentary and harsh words”.
“Officers should note that SWORD and WORDS have the same alphabets and the same effect if not handled properly,” the notification concludes.