Panel upholds sacking of IFS officer for bigamy

An Indian Foreign Service officer had to pay dearly for marrying the second time during existence of his first marriage and getting her treated abroad at the state's expense with the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) upholding his dismissal by the government.

"The article of charge is not only as regards the second marriage while the first marriage was still subsisting but also taking his second wife to his place of posting (in Columbia) and claiming reimbursement for her medical treatment as well," the panel headed by its Chairman V K Bali said, while upholding the dismissal of Bharat Singh Rawat.

The CAT order came on Rawat's plea, challenging his ouster contending that his sacking was inflicted upon him without an inquiry and the punishment was unjust and unfair.

The question of recording evidence in order to prove his guilt never arose as he never denied the charges, it said.

"Present is thus not a case where the punishment inflicted upon the applicant may be shockingly disproportionate to his proved guilt," the panel said.

Rawat had been charged with marrying for a second time during the subsistence of his first marriage in violation of Rule 21 of Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.

He had also been indicted for taking his second wife to his place of posting and claiming reimbursement of over Rs 1.4 lakh for her medical treatment.

Pleading for a sympathetic approach, Rawat said he had also moved court for divorce from his first wife in July 2009.

The Tribunal, however, refused to give him any relief as the records showed that he had a second wife since 2006 for whom he had even obtained a valid passport.