VRS plea of BSF jawan who griped about food rejected

New Delhi: In a setback to the Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, Tej Bahadur Yadav,  — whose post on social media about sub-standard food triggered a controversy, the paramilitary force has rejected his “voluntary retirement plea” on grounds that a Court of Inquiry on his allegations is pending as also charges on disciplinary grounds against him.

The move by the BSF is not being seen kindly by Mr Yadav’s family, which alleged that the trooper was being “threatened and tortured mentally”. Rejecting Mr Yadav’s Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) plea, BSF said it has been “cancelled pending the Court of Inquiry (CoI) and finalisation of its recommendations”.

“Cancellation of VRS was communicated to constable Yadav on January 30 evening only,” BSF said in a statement while making it clear that he “has not been arrested” as alleged by the family. Mr Yadav’s wife claimed that her husband had called her this morning and claimed that he was being threatened and harassed and that he has been put under arrest.

Officials in the force said as per the procedure, all witnesses in a case are questioned by the probe team till the investigation is complete. Since the trooper is also facing charges of indiscipline on various counts the privilege of granting a VRS to an employee is disallowed, as it happens in such cases.

A video shot by Yadav had gone viral last month in which he complained about the quality of food and after it had gone viral, it triggered a flurry of reactions with the Prime Minister’s Office also intervening in the matter seeking a detailed factual report on it from the Union home ministry and BSF.

The ministry had informed PMO that BSF has maintained that there was no shortage of rations at any post and that security the personnel deployed along the borders never complained about food.