look news india
A very serious and shocking case related to the zonal office of Punjab National Bank (PNB) located in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, has come to light. According to the details received, Rajesh Chaudhary, working in the zonal office, has been facing serious allegations of openly misusing his position and administrative influence, indecent behavior with a media person (journalist), using indecent language and directly threatening to kill. A journalist associated with the fourth pillar of democracy receiving such threats in broad daylight and at the office level of a public undertaking has become a subject of intense discussion in the media and administrative corridors of the capital. It is alleged that when the concerned journalist tried to register a written and verbal complaint about this entire incident and misbehavior in the same premises of the bank and in the competent administrative system, instead of improving, the situation became more frightening. After the complaint, the journalist is continuously being given open threats of dire consequences and death through unknown and known means, due to which the safety of the victim and his family is in deep danger.
The most worrying aspect that has emerged in this entire incident is that despite pleading for justice in the bank premises, instead of initiating any internal disciplinary or administrative inquiry against the accused, efforts are being made to hush up the matter. The victim’s direct allegation is that the senior officers holding high positions at the zonal level are not only well aware of this entire episode, but they are also providing open protection to the accused Rajesh Chaudhary. This type of practice is extremely rare and considered objectionable in a leading nationalized public sector bank, where stringent standards of integrity, transparency and public communication have been set. In such a situation, if senior officers of the bank turn a blind eye to the criminal conduct and misconduct of their subordinate employees, then it directly points towards administrative nexus and institutional corruption. Due to the complaint being ignored at the local level, the morale of the accused has become more high, due to which efforts are being made to create an atmosphere of fear inside and outside the bank premises.
The ‘Officer Employees’ Conduct Regulations’ are clearly and bindingly applicable to employees and officers serving in all nationalized financial institutions of the country, including Punjab National Bank. Under these regulatory rules, no employee of the Bank can apply undue pressure, unwanted conduct, threat or criminal misconduct to any citizen, customer or journalist under the guise of his official position. Abusing or issuing lethal threats to any person is not only a gross violation of the Terms of Service, but also directly amounts to a punishable offense under Indian criminal laws. When an official uses his office and influence to suppress an independent investigation or news compilation, it violates the very spirit of the conduct rules that are mandated to maintain the reputation of the bank. According to the rules, as soon as information about such serious allegations is received, it is the legal responsibility of the concerned competent authority to remove the accused from sensitive responsibilities with immediate effect and conduct an impartial preliminary inquiry.
Since there is a strong apprehension that the matter will be suppressed at the zonal level of the bank, this issue is now being given a larger legal form instead of being limited to just a departmental complaint. According to legal experts, threatening to kill a person is a direct non-bailable and cognizable offense under Section 351 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Justice Code (BNS) and public insult and abuse under Section 352. By compiling the entire incident, digital evidence of threat, audio recordings and statements of witnesses present at the time of the incident, a plan is being prepared by the victim side to file a formal FIR before the Lucknow Police Commissionerate. Along with this, with the aim of neutralizing the local collusion, the detailed report of the entire matter is also being sent to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of the Head Office of Punjab National Bank in New Delhi, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, so that a high-level investigation can be ensured into the role of the responsible officers sitting at the zonal level.
As soon as the news of openly threatening a journalist from Raj Bhavan, the Chief Minister’s Office and a government bank premises in Lucknow, the center of the state’s top administrative machinery, has come to light, there is anger among the representatives associated with local journalist organizations, civil society and press clubs. Various media representatives say that if an official of a nationalized bank can take such an irresponsible and violent attitude towards journalists within the capital, then it is an extremely dangerous sign for democracy and freedom of expression. Media organizations have clearly demanded that in view of the sensitivity of the matter, the Uttar Pradesh Government, Police Commissioner Lucknow and the central management of Punjab National Bank should immediately take suo motu cognizance of this matter. For a fair investigation, it is considered essential that the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the zonal office should be preserved with immediate effect so that the truth can come out. Along with this, immediate legal protection should be provided to the victim journalist and his family members and the rule of law should be established in public institutions by taking punitive action against the accused officer.