Bengaluru, Jul 29 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Wednesday suspended 9 officials and staff of various gram panchayats in Bengaluru Rural district, among them 6 PDOs, with immediate effect for allegedly attending a party involving alcohol during working hours.
The action follows media reports alleging that the officials gathered at the foothills of Siddarabetta, where they consumed alcohol and meat and engaged in recreational activities during office hours.
Videos of the gathering were widely circulated by media outlets.
The Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwar Khandre directed officials to issue show-cause notices to those who attended the gathering and suspend them if a preliminary inquiry established that they had participated during official working hours, his office said in a statement.
Acting on the minister’s directions, Bengaluru Rural Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Dr Vasanthi Amar issued show-cause notices to the officials concerned and subsequently ordered their suspension pending a departmental inquiry.
Those suspended are Panchayat Development Officers Girish of Shivagange, Harish of Agalakuppe, Prashanth D of Gollahalli, Chiranjeevi of Manne, Ravishankar of Sompura and Dinesh B M of Bettakote gram panchayats.
Also suspended were Grade I Secretary Kemparangaiah, Grade II Secretary Gangadhar and Second Division Accounts Assistant Manjunath, attached to the Agalakuppe, Budihal and Sompura gram panchayats, respectively.
According to the suspension order, the officials violated the Karnataka Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 2021, by remaining absent from their respective offices during official working hours.
The suspension will remain in force pending completion of the departmental inquiry, the statement added. PTI KSU SSK
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