The home ministry has declined to share details of file notings related to extension of service granted to senior IAS officer B.K.
The home ministry has declined to share details of file notings related to extension of service granted to senior IAS officer B.K. Prasad, who went into the missing files related to the alleged fake encounter killing of Ishrat Jahan, saying being an adjunct to proposal of a Cabinet panel it cannot be disclosed.
The ministry was asked to provide copies of file notings on two-month extension given to Mr Prasad who was to superannuate on May 31, 2016.
As the file notings in this regard are an adjunct to an Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) proposal, the same is exempted under Section 8 (1) (I) of the transparency law, it said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
The section bars disclosure of “Cabinet papers including records of deliberations of the council of ministers, secretaries and other officers”.
Mr Prasad, a 1983 batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was due to retire in May end. He was granted extension for a period of two months with effect from June 1, 2016 to July 31, an official order had said without mentioning the reason behind it.
When asked for the reason for granting extension to Mr Prasad, the MHA said, “As far as asking the reasons for a decision is concerned, the same is not covered under the RTI Act.” The officer was in the news for allegedly “tutoring” witnesses in the missing files case, a charge denied by him.
The home ministry had recently asked an RTI applicant to prove he is Indian before disclosing details on the extension given to Mr Prasad.
“In this connection, it is requested that a proof of your Indian citizenship may please be provided,” the ministry had said in its reply.
As per the Right to Information Act, 2005, only Indian citizens can seek information under it.
