‘Discrepancy’ in ID verification records: 49 Prison department officials to lose job

In a jaw-dropping decision, 49 prison department officials in Delhi are facing termination, despite a Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT) earlier injunction that had blocked their dismissals. The Delhi High Court overruled the CAT order on last week, paving the way for their possible dismissal. The officials affected by this decision are nine assistant superintendents, 39 warders, and two matrons.

The termination follows a recommendation from the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB), which had flagged inconsistencies in the ID verification records of the recruits.

The DSSSB pointed out discrepancies during a verification exercise conducted in December 2023, which led to the discontinuation of services for 50 officials. An order signed by the officer in charge of the Establishment Branch, Prison Headquarters, stated that the CAT orders challenging the termination had been set aside. Consequently, the appointments of these officials have been cancelled, and they are no longer entitled to benefits stemming from the tribunal's orders.

The verification exercise entailed 477 prison personnel, who were recruited in 2020, with discrepancies detected in the records of the 50 officials at Tihar, Mandoli, and Rohini prison complexes. The employees are currently on probation. The DSSSB initiated a physical verification of newly appointed personnel in 2021, prompted by concerns raised shortly after the 2020 recruitment drive, fearing irregularities might have crept in during the selection process.

The extensive verification process took time, with some recruits failing to show up for verification on scheduled dates, citing various reasons. This delay in completing the process is now under scrutiny, as prison administration investigates the circumstances surrounding the discrepancies and whether they indicate a coordinated recruitment-related fraud.