Gujarat govt to CAT: Ansari working as prof in US, owes state $18,000

“…it came to the knowledge of the department that after completion of PhD, he has joined the Criminal Justice Department at Northeastern University, Boston, as a professor. He is also working as Assistant Professor in Salem State University.”

The reply annexed the Facebook post of an engineer, who the government said was Ansari’s “family friend” and had posted about his Boston job.
The reply said Ansari hadn’t completed 20 years of regular service that would qualify him for VRS. It said his request was not accepted by the Centre either. “…it is clear that applicant (Ansari) has defrauded the state as he misused public money to the tune of US Dollars 18,000.”

The government said Ansari violated the rule under which “an officer must execute a bond to return to the government for a minimum period of three years on completion of study failing which he/she would be required to refund the amount paid to him/her.”

The reply, filed by Nikhil Bhatt, joint secretary of home department, added: “A person… working with two universities can very well return to India and report (to) his duty as per conditions incorporated in the bond… It is known to everyone that without a proper job, applicant can’t continue to stay in US with his wife and undergo treatment…”

Ansari, an IPS officer of 1993 batch, has been on allegedly unauthorised leave since October 1, 2010. In July 2014, the state government issued a notice that his absence will be treated as “deemed resignation for unauthorised absence.”

Following the notice, Ansari sought VRS, claiming that he has completed 20 years of service. The government rejected his request following which he moved CAT last month, stating that due to “serious sickness, he has applied for VRS.” He challenged the VRS rejection before CAT, in a petition filed by power of attorney by his father-in-law SK Saiyed, a retired IAS officer.

In mid 2002, Ansari went to Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, for a one-year course and returned in 2003. On April 15, 2005 he applied for a sabbatical to pursue a three-year PhD in Criminal Justice and Policy Making in North Eastern University, Boston. He sought partial funding of foreign study under a central government scheme for class A officers and received $ 18,000.

After leaving for the US, he sought several extensions of leave which were accepted. He resumed office on May 2010 and was posted as Principal, Police Training College, Vadodara. A month later, he applied for extraordinary leave of 92 days to complete his PhD. The state government “in the interest of academic pursuance… granted him leave.” Ansari was to resume duty on October 1, 2010, but didn’t. He sought more leave on the ground of illness, a plea the government rejected.