Mumbai (Maharashtra): An inquiry by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has found two of its officials prima facie guilty of not carrying out government instructions in the filing of the controversial affidavit on the Setu Samudram issue in the Supreme Court.
A report of the internal inquiry into the issue conducted by ASI Director General Anshu Vaish was recently submitted to the Secretary, Culture, a senior official of the Culture Ministry said.
He said a formal departmental inquiry will now be carried out, which will cover the entire case and not just the role of the two officials — Director (Administration) Chandrasekhar and Assistant Director (Monuments) V Bakshi — who were earlier suspended following a preliminary probe by the ASI DG.
A chargesheet will be issued to the two officials and they will be asked to submit their explanation in the matter, the official said.
The suspension of the two ASI officials, meanwhile, was revoked on Wednesday and they were asked to resume duties with immediate effect.
"The ASI officials have been reinstated as it is a procedural requirement. You cannot keep someone suspended for more than three months," the official said.
The two ASI officers were put under suspension on the orders of Culture Minister Ambika Soni on September 14, shortly after the controversy over the affidavit broke out.
Source: publication.samachar.com
