A file seeking final opinion of Public Service Commission (PSC) on compulsory retirement of a high official of the Information cadre for proven corruption has been put on in cold storage for the last four months raising many an eyebrow.

Several inquiries found former director general of Department of Films and Publications (DFP) Syed Mahbubur Rahman guilty of graft beyond doubt.

Based on the probe findings and with approval of the president and the prime minister the information ministry decided to give compulsory retirement to Rahman and sent a letter on July 7 to the PSC secretary seeking the. commission's opinion on the decision. But the PSC is yet to come up with its opinion.

When asked, a PSC official on condition of anonymity said the commission Is checking whether the ministry did any procedural fault in recommending action against Rahman, who is now posted at National Institute of Mass Communication.

Officials at the information ministry on the other hand ruled out any possibility of procedural lapse, as high officials from other ministries and their law experts were also involved in the decision-making process.

One of them quipped, "Does the PSC think the president and premier also approved the decision without checking the validity of the process?"

The former DG of DFP stands accused under articles 3(B) and 3(D) of the Public Servant (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1985 and the compulsory retirement would be given u nder Article 4 (3) of the rules.

Official sources said the ministry initially proposed that the president fire Rahman outright under Article 7(7) of the rules. But the president on humanitarian ground reduced the punishment to compulsory retirement with retirement benefits.

Rahman as the DG of DFP was found to have misappropriated huge amount of money from various purchases and projects and through tender forgeries.