New Delhi (03.06.2022): The seven-member full bench of Lok Pal of India Chaired by Justice Pinaki Chandra Bose has ordered a Preliminary Inquiry (PI) against the hasty recruitments by the National  Botanical Research Institute (CSIR- CBRI) to 70 posts of scientists in last few months of his tenure. It may be underlined that NBRI (Lucknow) is a constituent Laboratory and functions under CSIR, New Delhi.

It may be underlined that normally CSIR Directors are not allowed to fill regular posts in the last year of their service tenure.

Responding to the complaint dated March 09, 2022 The Lokpal of India categorically underlined that even though the tenure of the incumbent Director Dr S K Barik is coming to end in November this year and despite the commitment of the Vice President of CSIR for revising the recruitment process the process of recruitment continued raising questions over the intent and objective of the recruitments.

Reportedly, the Full Bench Lokpal has referred the matter to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for conducting Preliminary Inquiry directing to the CVO to submit PI report by June 13, 2022. Interestingly, a section of insiders apprehends that the attempts will be made to hush up the complaint.

Earlier complaints of  Irregularities in CIMFR recruitments are  also under consideration of Lokpal.