Maharashtra government ordered to give RTI applicant details of enquiry against officer

The state information commission has directed the state government to provide information on the enquiry against a retired officer, which, the government states, has not reached its final decision. The decision was given on July 21.

The order was given by state chief information commissioner, Ratnakar Gaikwad, on an application filed by Andheri resident Yajurvedi Rao. Rao had asked for information pertaining to retired officer DN Khamatkar. In his application to the general administration department, Rao asked to be provided access to the proposal for carrying out departmental enquiry against the officer for his alleged role in allocation of excess quota of codeine phosphate to a manufacturer in state; as well as details about the action taken on the complaints forwarded to chief secretary, GAD secretary, home secretary and other documents pertaining to the investigation. The public information officer (PIO) refused to give the information.

The information commission stated that the information was of public interest. It then asked the department to provide the information to the applicant.