New Delhi, Jun 21 (UNI) Initiating major disciplinary penalty proceedings against former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandhopadhyay, the Department of Personnel and Training has issued a ‘memorandum’ for his alleged ‘misconduct and misbehavior’ and asking him to reply within 30 days time period, the officials said here on Monday.
Bandyopadhyay, now an adviser to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been asked to reply to the memorandum in which the Central government said it has proposed to hold “major penalty proceedings against him under All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules”, the officials said.
He has been charged for deliberately avoiding the a review meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28 at Kalaikonda airport after the Cyclone Yaas hit the states of Odisha and West Bengal.
The DoPT memorandum has also asked him to submit a written statement in his defence and state if he desires to be heard in person within 30 days, the officials said, adding that the DoPT has said that in case of no reply from him is received within the time period, “inquiry authority may hold inquiry against him ex-parte”.
According to officials in the DoPT, the major penalty proceedings involve allowing the central government to “withhold pension or gratuity, or both, either in full or in part”.
Just hours before his retirement on May 31,former West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay was served show cause notice by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and sought explanation in writing within three days.
The Ministry also accused Bandhopadhyay of reaching to the said meeting late and left with State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee without attending the meeting, and was called upon to explain in writing to MHA within a period of three days, as to why action should not be taken against him under Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 for the aforesaid violation.
Earlier,he was transferred to the Delhi by the Central Government on May 28 and was directed to report to the Department of Personnel and Training by 10 am on May 31.
Mr Bandhopadhayay, who was to retire on May 31,was given three months extension on request of the West Bengal Government.

On May 31 too, the DoPT also shot off a letter asking him to comply with its May 28 order to report to the Central government’s office in Delhi but he chose to retire on same day.
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