Former chief fire officer likely to be dismissed

Departmental enquiry found he had submitted false information, did not disclose details of his suspensions while applying for President’s Meritorious Service Awards

Former Chief Fire Officer Shashikant Kale may soon be dismissed from service as a departmental enquiry has found him guilty of submitting false information to the state and Central governments to win the President’s Meritorious Service Award 2021. Based on the enquiry report, the proposal for his dismissal is set to be tabled before the civic Standing Committee today. 

Apart from tarnishing the image of the corporation, Kale has been also accused of misleading the civic body, the state government, the governor and the president by hiding facts related to his service, such as suspension due to corruption charges.

Every year on January 26, some fire brigade personnel are honoured with the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service for outstanding service. Last year, the then Chief Fire Officer Shashikant Kale recommended his own name before civic commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal for the highest award. However, he had allegedly not revealed that in his 14 years of service, he had been suspended twice on corruption charges and that there had been adverse notings in his Annual Confidential Report. Kale, while giving information about confidential reports of the last 10 years, said he was given an excellent rating whereas he was suspended in 2014-15. 

The matter came to light in November 2020, following which he was removed from the post pending a department enquiry and was posted deputy chief fire officer of Zone VI. Civic chief IS Chahal too had written to the Urban Development Department to withdraw the recommendation. 

The departmental inquiry, which concluded recently, found that Kale suppressed details of his suspension and forged “very good” remarks in confidential reports of 2012-13 and 2013-14. He had also allegedly claimed in his application that he had not faced any punishment. 

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