On August 20, the officer on his personal Twitter account had tweeted in a similar vein, “I once thought that being in civil services meant an opportunity to expand the rights and freedoms of fellow citizens.” (Source: Facebook/ Kannan Gopinathan) On August 20, the officer on his personal Twitter account had tweeted in a similar vein, “I once thought that being in civil services meant an opportunity to expand the rights and freedoms of fellow citizens.” (Source: Facebook/ Kannan Gopinathan)

Former IAS officer Kannan Gopinathan, who quit from service in August over “denial of freedom of expression to the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, Wednesday claimed that a ‘chargesheet’ has been filed against him by the Home Ministry. In a series of tweets, Gopinathan came down heavily on the Home Ministry and said he wished he could influence Union Minister Amit Shah over the Kashmir issue.

The ‘chargesheet’ accuses him of “adopting dilatory tactics in the discharge of his official duties and displaying insubordination”.

So they emailed me the chargesheet. Well @HMOIndia, I know it must be tough as you are unable to manage what’s happening between lawyers and police right under your nose. So in the interest of the nation I do not want to trouble you more in your weak time. I acknowledge receipt. https://t.co/JKgtdOcWE5 — Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) November 6, 2019

Taking a dig at the recent police-lawyers clash at Tis Hazari court, he said, “I know it must be tough as you are unable to manage what’s happening between lawyers and police right under your nose.” Acknowledging the receipt of the chargesheet, Gopinathan said he doesn’t want to trouble Home Minister Amit Shah in his “weak time”.

He also shared the first page of the memo for departmental inquiry which was given after two months of him submitting resignation.

Here it is warning me to not bring any political influence. Who is capable of politically influencing @HMOIndia other than @AmitShah. Now if only I could influence him. But let me try anyway. Sir, please restore fundamental rights in Kashmir. pic.twitter.com/EIa3iZS2nV — Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) November 6, 2019

Mocking the contents of the memo, he said, “Here it is warning me to not bring any political influence. Who is capable of politically influencing @HMOIndia other than @AmitShah. Now if only I could influence him. But let me try anyway. Sir, please restore fundamental rights in Kashmir.”

In another tweet, Gopinathan listed out the charges framed against him.

“These are the charges. Same as the memo.

1. Did not put up file in time

2. Did not complete underground cabling project in time

3. Did not submit tour report for relief work in Kerala

4. Did not apply for PM excellence award

5. Submitting file directly to Administrator

Scary!” he wrote.

Gopinathan said that the authorities were upset with him as he did not continue in Daman after his resignation. Mocking the administration, he said, “Fakeer aadmi hu na ab. Jhola uthake chal pada. Fakeeri yaad hoga.”

He also offered to give “pro-bono” services to Daman Administration if it still needs help.

In the chargesheet, Gopinathan has been accused of creating an adverse image” of the Government of India because of his interaction with the media.

“It is your actions that create such an image. Not my interactions. But good to know that you have been watching them. Slowly you will learn about fundamental rights.” he added.

Towards the end of his Twitter thread, Gopinathan posted his reply to the charges framed against him.

For those interested in my earlier reply to these charges, may go through it here. https://t.co/NmxGIdCjWX — Kannan Gopinathan (@naukarshah) November 6, 2019

Kannan G, a 2012-batch IAS officer hailing from Kerala who held the post of secretary of key departments like power and non-conventional energy sources in the Dadra and Nagar Haveli administration, had quit in August. After submitting his resignation, 2012-batch IAS officer claimed he took the decision because he wanted to express his views against the “denial of freedom of expression” in Kashmir.

“If you ask me what you were doing, when one of the world’s largest democracies announced a ban on the entire state, and even violated the fundamental rights of the people, I should at least be able to reply that I resigned my job,” Kannan Gopinathan had said in an interview to indianexpress.com.

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