HRD Min asked to consider whistleblower’s plea

The Central Information Commission (CIC) on Wednesday recommended HRD Minister Smriti Irani to “positively” consider plea of a whistleblower against his dismissal after he exposed alleged corruption in EdCIL, saying it will instill moral courage among whistleblowers. 

“The Commission also finds that the appellant is a recognised whistleblower by the CVC and deserves protection. He was subjected to unnecessary harassment for the last two years,” Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu pointed out.

The case related to one Rajesh Gauhari, who claimed to have exposed corruption in EdCIL following which he was dismissed from service. He claimed that his appeal against dismissal from service was not put up to the President, inspite of the same recommended by the then HRD Minister.

The then Additional Secretary Amita Sharma had dismissed the appeal, saying it was time barred, whereas Gauhari claimed that appeals before the President do not have any time limit. Gauhari filed an RTI application to know the status of his representation. Not getting a satisfactory reply, he approached the Commission to know what happened to his representation, why it was not placed before the Minister and why it was wrongly claimed that his representation was time barred, especially when there was no time limitation in such cases.