Thiruvananthapuram: A report by Additional Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak has raised serious allegations against N Prasanth, former Special Secretary of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Department, accusing him of falsifying attendance and frequently failing to report for duty. According to the report, Prasanth, currently special secretary of Agriculture Department, repeatedly claimed to be "on duty" for non-existent meetings, and his attendance at the office was significantly low, with some months seeing him absent for up to 20 days.

The report, which includes a year’s attendance records, states that Prasanth often showed up for duty only a few days each month. On other occasions, he falsely recorded attendance for meetings that had not taken place, particularly in areas such as Kannur and Idukki, where Prasanth reportedly claimed to have attended ‘Unnathi’ meetings in tribal areas. However, field reports contradict these claims, confirming that no such meetings occurred on the specified dates.

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The report also mentions that Prasanth had a history of fabricating his leave records by taking leave while stating he had worked on public holidays. It further states that such practices are not permissible for senior civil servants in the state, including IAS officers.

In addition to these attendance irregularities, Prasanth is accused of bypassing the Additional Chief Secretary to directly submit important files to the Chief Secretary and ministers. On some occasions, he allegedly signed official documents on behalf of the Additional Chief Secretary without authorization. Despite repeated instructions, Prasanth is reported to have disregarded orders to attend departmental meetings.

One of the key incidents highlighted in the report is Prasanth’s refusal to attend a meeting convened by the Chief Secretary related to the Loka Kerala Sabha, where he reportedly stated that the Additional Chief Secretary did not attend such meetings, implying that he had no obligation to do so either.

Prasanth, who was also serving as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the "Unnathi" project for the implementation of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe welfare schemes, has been accused of losing critical files related to the project. 

Additional Chief Secretary has now submitted the detailed report to the Chief Minister, urging action against the officer for his persistent negligence and misconduct.

Key Findings:

  • - N. Prasanth had poor attendance, with some months showing as few as 10 days in office.
  • - He falsified records by claiming to attend meetings that didn’t take place, particularly in tribal areas.
  • - He misused his position to bypass his superior, the Additional Chief Secretary, and submitted files directly to senior officials.
  • - Refused to attend important meetings and defied official orders, citing lack of obligation to follow protocol.

The Chief Minister is expected to review the findings and take necessary action, as the report highlights serious breaches of conduct and the mishandling of key government functions.