Onmanorama: Kerala: Sunday, June 22, 2025.
The minutes of the Suspension Review Committee meeting, obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, have revealed that the panel had recommended lifting the suspension of IAS officer N Prasanth. However, the suspension was later extended under various circumstances, allegedly due to the intervention of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak.
The review committee that
met in 23 April comprised then Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, Additional
Chief Secretary (Home) Bishwanath Sinha, and Additional Chief Secretary (Public
Administration) K R Jyothilal. The minutes said Prasanth had given a satisfactory
explanation regarding the charges against him and the panel had recommended lifting
his suspension.
However, after Jayathilak succeeded Sarada Muraleedharan following her retirement, the committee reportedly reconvened and extended Prashanth's suspension by another 180 days. As Prasanth's allegations were specifically against Jayathilak, the government replaced him in the review committee with Additional Chief Secretary Rajan Khobragade.
Despite this, Jayathilak clarified in a file note dated May 3 that no new member was required, directing Sinha to constitute a two-member committee instead. Based on this, the committee met on May 7 and recommended extending Prashanth’s suspension by six months.
Prasanth has alleged that this procedure violated service rules, which mandate that in the absence of the Chief Secretary, the senior-most Additional Chief Secretary should lead the committee, not a two-member panel as was formed.
Prasanth was initially suspended after he made personal remarks on social media against Jayathilak. He accused Jayathilak of ruining the careers and lives of subordinates who failed to follow his directives. He also described his superior officer as mentally ill and called him a ‘psychopath.’ Prasanth's insult came while Jayathilak filed a report against him regarding the Unnathi initiative, which was under the consideration of the Chief Minister.
The minutes of the Suspension Review Committee meeting, obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, have revealed that the panel had recommended lifting the suspension of IAS officer N Prasanth. However, the suspension was later extended under various circumstances, allegedly due to the intervention of Chief Secretary A Jayathilak.
However, after Jayathilak succeeded Sarada Muraleedharan following her retirement, the committee reportedly reconvened and extended Prashanth's suspension by another 180 days. As Prasanth's allegations were specifically against Jayathilak, the government replaced him in the review committee with Additional Chief Secretary Rajan Khobragade.
Despite this, Jayathilak clarified in a file note dated May 3 that no new member was required, directing Sinha to constitute a two-member committee instead. Based on this, the committee met on May 7 and recommended extending Prashanth’s suspension by six months.
Prasanth has alleged that this procedure violated service rules, which mandate that in the absence of the Chief Secretary, the senior-most Additional Chief Secretary should lead the committee, not a two-member panel as was formed.
Prasanth was initially suspended after he made personal remarks on social media against Jayathilak. He accused Jayathilak of ruining the careers and lives of subordinates who failed to follow his directives. He also described his superior officer as mentally ill and called him a ‘psychopath.’ Prasanth's insult came while Jayathilak filed a report against him regarding the Unnathi initiative, which was under the consideration of the Chief Minister.
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