Senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Abhay Kant Pathak, in jail since November last year for amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, was forced to retire on Monday after the Centre approved the state government’s recommendations for the same.
Accepting the Odisha Government’s recommendation, the President of India on Monday issued an order for compulsory retirement of tainted Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Abhay Kant Pathak from his service.
In November last year, the State Vigilance had arrested Abhay Pathak and his son Akash on the charges of amassing assets worth crores disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Pathak, who served as the additional principal chief conservator of forests would have become the next principal chief conservator of forests of Odisha in June this year had he not been named in a corruption case in November last year. The state vigilance department accused Pathak of amassing disproportionate assets worth ?9.35 crore, 435 % of his total income and claimed it to be the biggest disproportionate assets case in Odisha’s history.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been continuously emphasising on high-degree of morality and integrity in public service. As part of the policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, the State Government had recommended to the President for compulsory retirement of the 1987-batch Odisha-Cadre IFS officer.
In the last 1 year, more than 104 state officials have been given compulsory retirement over corruption issues.
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