Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 10: Two decades after former SKIMS Director Mohammad Sultan Khuroo was terminated, the SKIMS has revoked the order paving way for his pensionary benefits causing huge loss to the Government exchequer.
The revocation order issued by the SKIMS director read: “Government order No. 02-IMS of 2001 dated 22-01-2001 relating to the termination of the services of Prof MS Khuroo, former Director SKIMS and ex-officio Secretary to Government is revoked.
The SKIMS has treated him as voluntarily retired from the services. “Processing of pension case of Prof Mohammad Sultan Khuroo Ex-Director SKIMS by treating him as voluntary retired from services of SKIMS w.e.f 28-02-1996 (AN) after waiving off the notice period and accounting one year Sabbatical leave already sanctioned by SKIMS w. e. f. 14-02-1995 in his favour”, read the order.
He went to sabbatical leave from 1995 to 2005 to work in Saudi Arabia and has availed the benefits for 26 years of superannuation before his termination in 2001.
According to the order, Dr Khuroo is likely to receive benefits of retirement for the period when he was either working in Saudi Arabia and receiving a non-taxable salary and following return to Kashmir in 2005, was engaged in active private practice which till August 5 last year was cognizable offence.
Normally anyone desiring voluntary retirement has to be actively working for at least 3 months whereas Dr Khuroo was working in Saudi Arabia at the time he voluntarily retired as per the new SKIMS order.
Dr Khuroo proceeded on a sabbatical leave after winter vacation to Saudi Arabia and continued working there for about a decade in the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh as a gastroenterologist and head of Hepatology from 1995 to 2005.
The Governing body of SKIMS after approval of the competent authority charge-sheeted Dr Khuroo vide SIMS/Per/491/89-3075 dated 20.06.2000 after approval by the then Chairman and Governing body. His services were duly terminated vide Govt order 02 -IMS of 2001 dated 22.01.2001 under provisions of Rule 33 of J&K Civil Service Rules, 1956.
Dr Khuroo didn’t challenge his termination order for 15 years. But as soon as Dr AG Ahangar was appointed as Director SKIMS in July 2016, he submitted a representation (dated 05-09-2016) seeking pensionary benefits.
Dr Ahanger framed an inquiry committee that inferred that D Khuroo’s termination had been processed without ‘following a proper procedure’ despite all competent authorities having accented to the decision.
An official said that file containing documents about the earlier inquiry and opinions and approvals is missing. The Director submitted a proposal to the Government recommending revocation of the termination order issued 16 years earlier.
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