Bank official appoints son as peon, loses own job

GANDHINAGAR - The vice chairman of a state-run bank in Gujarat has lost his own job after he appointed his overqualified son as a peon.

Manilal Chaudhary, vice chairman of the Gujarat State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Limited (GSCARDB), was asked to quit after the registrar of state cooperative societies noticed that he had appointed his son Yashwant Chaudhary, a graduate, as a peon in the Vijapur branch of the bank four years ago.

The required qualification for the post of peon is class 12. Yashwant had shown his qualification as class 12 pass.

H.P. Ganatra, the managing director of the bank, confirmed that Manilal put in his papers Feb 10.

GSCARDB has 176 branches and disburses agricultural loans of over Rs.150 crore annually.

The matter came to light following a complaint a few months ago. Yashwant has also been dismissed from service.

The rules of the bank do not permit the appointment of graduates as peons for fear that they may subsequently advance their claim for appointment as clerks.