GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
INCOME TAX DEPARTMENT
OFFICE OF THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, RANGE III,
No. 2, V.P. Rathinasamy Nadar Road, Bibikulam, Madurai 625 002
C. No. / JCIT /
Range-III / 10-11 Date: 28/03/2011
To
Shri D Ravindran,
The Chief Commissioner of Income Tax – IV,
Chennai.
Dear Sir,
Sub : Expression
of displeasure on your doubtful behavior- reg.
On 08th March
2011 I was invited by RTI to take a session in the second half on the
“Techniques of investigation”. Since I had the time in the morning I met my
batch mate and a junior. After meeting the junior who had worked under me I was
aghast when I knew about your in built negative bias towards me relating to the
incident of Smt. KT Vijayalaxmi, ACIT, Company Circle-2, Madurai.
Sir, I
reliably learnt that you had called Shri Muthushanker, ACIT and had inquired
about any problem of my relationship with Smt. KT Vijayalaxmi, ACIT. When the
officer explained that there is nothing between them, then you allegedly closed
the conversation by saying that “No you don’t know both had worked in Karnataka
and something must have been there.”
Before
I came on training, it was also brought to my knowledge from my immediate
superior that you had suspected me of backdating a draft penalty order in the
case of R Bharagthwaj, approved by me on 28.05.2010, was actually signed after
that date which corresponds to my long leave period. What hurt me most about
the above incident was your basic attitude of suspicion without checking the
matter based on facts or directly seeking an answer from me for the persistent
doubt in you.
Since
you have failed to know the truth but let me bring the clarity on the entire
issue. All along my career in Karnataka I worked at Bangalore was only as a DCIT.
In Income-tax department an ITO does not report to DCIT. Similarly, K T
Vijaylaxmi never reported to me as she was an ITO. So it becomes clear that I
never had any official interaction with her. I knew K T Vijaylaxmi from a
distance as I joined as a probationer in 2001 at Bangalore. While working at
Bangalore I stayed in Income-tax Colony and she never stayed in the colony, therefore
it leaves no room for any social relations between us. The entire period of ten
years at Bangalore we both have never visited each other offices or homes can
only lead to a strong belief that we do not have any reason for any grievance
from each other. Whatever I have said is a fact which is verifiable by you from
my service record or from administration at Bangalore. If this is the truth
from my side then it is a grave insult
from your side to enquire from my junior about my antecedents and precedents
about my relationship with KT Vijaylaxmi and also making presumptions that we
both have some problems between us or I have some reason to settle some
personal scores with her. Your attitude
of enquiry from a junior officer about a senior officer and then shrugging the
truth and developing a negative bias is not all that fair for a person with
your experience and caliber.
Shri
Suryanarayana, the then CCIT told me about the posting of K T Vijaylaxmi as
ACIT under the Range-III charge from Salem. The CCIT also asked me about her
background when she was transferred. I replied that I hardly had any
interaction at Bangalore but the officer might be good as she has risen to the
position of ACIT from ranks. Shri Suryanarayana also conveyed me across that
there has been instruction from the headquarters from Chennai that she should
not be given any assessment or sensitive charge but is getting posted to
Range-III under my jurisdiction. After K T Vijaylaxmi joined I also briefed her
about a sensitive survey case relating to R Bharagthwaj where the assessment
was completed by Shri Muthushankar, raising a huge demand. I also briefed that
the assessing officer has already created the case for levying a penalty.
Subsequently a draft order was prepared and approved on 28.05.2010. It was
specifically mentioned to KT Vijaylaxmi to make the entry in the D&CR on
28.05.2010 and send the demand notice. I was about to proceed on long leave
from the close of the day on 28.05.2010 as I wanted to pursue on my resignation
to come out from the Indian Revenue Service for good. To make the case strong
of R Bharagthwaj for subsequent years, I wrote a detailed letter to Shri G
Myilanandam, Addl. CIT, Madurai about the case as the impact of the case had
far reaching effect with the other office as the bogus expenditure related to
M/s Viswas promoters was also discovered. To safeguard the interest, I had
marked the copy to the CCIT, Madurai, CIT-I & II Madurai and also to KT
Vijaylaxmi on 28.05.2010.
Sir, the above
facts are verifiable and are the truth. Again if this is the truth then alleging me of backdating is a
personal insult based on presumption. Doubting my integrity is not the
question but doubting the entire people in chain of command is a gross
injustice as the draft approval letter written by me on 28.05.2010 was in the
tappal of the office of CCIT, CIT and the assessing officer. Therefore, I have
my own doubts about your negative bias towards me without any rule or rhyme.
Sir, problem of
KT Vijaylaxmi was not set in motion by me but was set in motion during my long
leave by the then CCIT Shri Suryanarayana through several complaints received
against her. Its only after my arrival from long leave it was brought to my
knowledge by the then CCIT and CIT that she had dropped a penalty order of R
Bharagthwaj after my approval on 28.05.2010. With this given set of facts I am
developing a feeling that you are being instrumental in spreading rumors about
me to make me a scapegoat so that you can save an errant assessee like R
Bharagthwaj and an errant officer like K T Vijaylaxmi whose actions have been
detrimental to the interest of Government of India.
Sir, I
have reliably learnt that that there are rumors that I do not have good
relations with seniors, juniors, chartered accountant and public. If you are
instrumental in promoting these rumors then let me boldly express that I do not
have good relation with seniors who are doing excesses, I stand up very firmly
against them. I never encourage meeting a chartered accountant in those cases
when matter is being dealt by an assessing officer while investigation. I feel
proud about it. Issuing memos to officials who can bring down the morale of
organization by becoming undisciplined at work cannot be an excuse because one
is an office bearer in employees union or is an active person in an employees
union. The PRO is already vested with the job of meeting the general public in
case of grievances and directing public to PRO for this purpose cannot be a
sufficient reason to get branded that I do not have good relation with Public.
Sir, it
is surprising that you are already aware that the JCIT’s in the field have
already got worked up because of extreme shortages and at these juncture if
seniors like you hold negative bias without any basis then it shows the mood of
seniors who are leading the organization. I know that you are aware that there
is direct intervention by the senior officers from head quarters whenever a
case becomes sensitive at that juncture I have hardly found any senior officers
who will stand beside a JCIT and express that you please go ahead I understand
your difficulty and I am with you. Rather than the supportive attitude I have
found the culture of promoting rumors than easing out the difficulties at
field. Your doubts of aspiration on me despite giving the best only vindicate that
your attitude of presumption and negative attitude with bias is not desirable.
It is not for the first time I am going through these situations.
Sir,
after you assumed office at Madurai, I was expecting that you will speak to me
in detail about my requirement after I called on you. But I reliably learnt
that you digged into my pending resignation status from the Vigilance and the
information were sent to me that my resignation was rejected. After receiving
the information I had written in detail a letter to the Chairman, CBDT on the
pending status of resignation and also sought help from the office of CCIT-CCA,
Chennai and CCIT, Madurai to assist me. But till date I never received any line of communication from any authority. At this point of time when I hold charges of eight Ranges I have to deliver the best and I will do it so. But I feel uncomfortable that you never even asked anything from me on any issue but relied on rumor and half truth about me.
Chennai and CCIT, Madurai to assist me. But till date I never received any line of communication from any authority. At this point of time when I hold charges of eight Ranges I have to deliver the best and I will do it so. But I feel uncomfortable that you never even asked anything from me on any issue but relied on rumor and half truth about me.
Sir, the most
beautiful phase of an officer is when one is a DCIT. I had an active phase as
DCIT till March 2008 and was always an outstanding officer. These are verifiable
facts form my ACR’s. I have been victim earlier as a DCIT where efforts were
made to stop my promotion and continuous harassment led me to disillusionment
by leading me to place a resignation.
I was on leave for more than a year after placing the resignation. My friends and well wishers forced me to give a try as things will not be same if one becomes a Joint Commissioner. But after the brief skirmish with you and the experience of more than a year at Madurai I feel nothing has changed much. Rather than I being in the system surrounded by seniors like you for whom I have to explain, it’s better that I pursue my inner desire by coming out from the Indian Revenue Service immediately. Initially I thought to put papers afresh on 31.03.2011 but after speaking to seniors and family I have realized that the organization is short of officers and things will become better by the end of May 2011. Therefore, I have decided to put my papers afresh on 31.05.2011 from the post of Joint Commissioner.
I was on leave for more than a year after placing the resignation. My friends and well wishers forced me to give a try as things will not be same if one becomes a Joint Commissioner. But after the brief skirmish with you and the experience of more than a year at Madurai I feel nothing has changed much. Rather than I being in the system surrounded by seniors like you for whom I have to explain, it’s better that I pursue my inner desire by coming out from the Indian Revenue Service immediately. Initially I thought to put papers afresh on 31.03.2011 but after speaking to seniors and family I have realized that the organization is short of officers and things will become better by the end of May 2011. Therefore, I have decided to put my papers afresh on 31.05.2011 from the post of Joint Commissioner.
Sir, you are
appointed by the same authority who has appointed me. You are senior only by
virtue of getting recruited earlier in Indian Revenue Service. I also have
public office the way you have. But in my entire career I have never listened
to others about a person working under me and developed bias at workplace.
Irrespective of a person’s history I start my relationship at zero and feel
responsible in developing them and stand along with them for any crisis. I have
eased things and have dealt aberration very toughly based only on facts. While
working at Madurai I have realized that the seniors want to easily believe the
rumors and half truth and talk high on morality. But when the pressure on them
comes from the minister in a case or otherwise then the same senior passes it
to our level without standing beside a junior officer. Sir, question is not
suspecting the integrity in a case which has contributed to revenue but the
larger question is preventing by the senior due to pressure from top to soft
peddle cases or stop investigation where influential people are involved as it
stops the discovery of huge tax evasion.
Sir, let me
express that I do not need a certificate from you to know who I am but I made
an initiative to put the facts which were available with me so that you can use
the same facts to remove aberration so that I can still share a space for smile
with each other. I know my expression would have been very strong and that is
why I am branded for being impolite with seniors but this is best I can give
back with least hesitation as you will seldom find juniors standing before a
senior. This is also why it is making my choice easy to leave an enviable job
at the age of 45 from the family of Indian Revenue Service on 31.05.2011 and
start life afresh so that I will be above the zone of doubting thomases.
Sir, though I
never met you in my career prior to coming to Madurai, I had great respect for
you because hearing nice things from my seniors and mentors like Suresh Battini
and Ravi Ramachandran. I took it for certainty that you will be always above
the hearsay and half truth about an individual because you are almost in the
fag end of career and also you having more of characteristics of an
academician. I have expressed my displeasure for your doubtful behavior on me
so that I can still have the same respect for you whenever I confront you in
future while at work or after leaving the organization gracefully.
Thanking
you.
Yours faithfully,
Sd/-
(S.S. HARI RAO)
(S.S. HARI RAO)
Joint Commissioner of Income Tax,
Range – III, Madurai.
Copy to
1. The
Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (CCA), Chennai
2. The
Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Madurai
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