[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 18 Oct: In a major embarrassment for the government of Arunachal, Tax & Excise Joint Commissioner Tani Jongkey, who had been sent into ‘compulsory retirement’ in August 2019 as a punishment for alleged sexual assault on an 11-year-old girl, has managed to get reprieve from the high court and has rejoined service.
Through an order issued by the chief secretary on 12 August, 2019, Jongkey was sent into “compulsory retirement… with immediate effect, under the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1965.”
At that time, the state government had noted that Jongkey did not present “any new and convincing evidence in his defence for consideration and, as such, the charges against him were found to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Speaking to this daily, Tax & Excise Commissioner Kangki Darang claimed that the decision to allow Jongkey to rejoin service “was taken purely on the basis of the directives of the court.”
“The honourable high court has directed to carry out department inquiry de novo and, till the disposal of the case and any decision is taken thereof, the officer has to be reinstated,” said Darang.
He further informed that, as per the directive of the court, departmental inquiry has begun and the Papum Pare deputy commissioner has been made an investigation officer.
On 2 June, 2017, Jongkey was accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl and was booked by the police under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. He was placed under suspension on 22 August, 2017, and an inquiry officer was appointed to inquire into the charges framed against Jongkey on the same day.
Jongkey remained absconding for many days, and surrendered before the police on 27 July, 2017. After evading arrest for a while, Jonkey got himself admitted to a hospital, where he surrendered before the police.
In a complaint, the victim’s mother had alleged that Jongkey molested her daughter when her daughter had gone for tuitions on 2 June, 2017. Jonkey, however, had denied the charges against him.
