Family members of Border Security Force Constable Tej Bahadur Yadav, whose viral video on the poor quality of food served to the jawans had triggered an inquiry, said they have no idea where he is. “Yadav last spoke to his wife and said that the BSF officials are taking him to an unknown location. But couldn’t speak further,” the constable’s brother-in-law Vijay told The Indian Express.
The family said they will soon file a habeas corpus petition. Vijay told the daily that they have sent two letters to the BSF deputy inspector general, but have not yet received any response. Yadav’s brother-in-law also expressed his displeasure at the BSF for cancelling Yadav’s plea for voluntary retirement service. “As if Yadav was from other country, they cancelled his VRS and initiated inquiry against him. They could have ordered the probe after giving him VRS. Our family is very upset,” he told The Indian Express.
Regarding Yadav’s VRS, officials had said that jawan’s request was cancelled until the court of inquiry submitted its recommendations on the matter.
On February 6, Yadav’s wife Sharmila and her brother Ranbir Singh had met paramilitary Director General KK Sharma, who assured them of a fair inquiry in the matter. Yadav’s wife had earlier claimed that her husband was arrested. The BSF, however, had denied such claims.
In January, Yadav had shared a series of videos on Facebook, in which he showed the poor quality of food that troops were served along the border and alleged that they were often forced to sleep on an “empty stomach”. Yadav also said that senior officers sell the supplies bought for them by the government.
The BSF had initiated an inquiry after the videos went viral, but it highlighted that Yadav had faced disciplinary action for multiple reasons in the past, including “alcohol abuse, use of insubordinate language, habitual absenteeism and acting in a manner prejudicial to an official order”. The Home Affairs Ministry, too, had sought a report on the allegations.
The Home Ministry had rejected the BSF’s initial report on Yadav’s allegations and gave the force two days to submit a new report. The BSF had asked its commanders to ensure that constables on duty are not carrying cellphones.
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