279
(3)
It is also right to state that Attar Singh's Agent was informed at the Colonial Office, that this second charge, of receiving hush-money, was not so seriously pressed. No doubt it was felt that there are grave difficulties in the way of using the enquiry and decision in this matter to the prejudice of Attar Singh.
Attar Singh was not furnished with a statement of charge against himself.
The enquiries made were apparently of a departmental nature: and Attar Singh has complained of want of full opportunity of meeting the charges (see his printed papers) in a responsible position in a department where false charges are apt to flourish, he has been dismissed without receiving any copy or written information of the decision or reasons for his dismissal.
A request made for copy of evidence was unanswered. Attention is invited to sec: 96(a) of the Colonial Office rules. In such a case as this the grounds of dismissal must be definitely stated in writing:- they must be communicated to the officer:- "that he may have full opportunity of exculpating himself".
It will be observed that Captain May in the paper given to Attar Singh does not allege any act of bribery or receiving hush-money or misfeasance of that sort, only "money-lending transactions".
The charge on which Attar Singh believes himself to have been dismissed is that of giving a loan to DaRocha: but in case his admission, that he was present when Ganda Singh gave the loan, may be taken in any way against him, attention is particularly drawn to Attar Singh's statement (see printed papers, Attar Singh's petition of 12th March 1897, para 3) that his being...