Patna, Sept. 23: The general administration department has given senior IAS officer C.K. Anil a two-week ultimatum to reply to a notice served on him in the question paper leak case or face disciplinary action.

The department issued the notice against the 1991 batch IAS officer on Thursday following a request from the Patna police's special investigation team (SIT) to trace Anil. The IAS officer was to appear before the SIT in connection with the leak of question papers of clerk grade examination conducted by the Bihar Staff Selection Commission (BSSC) in February.

A senior official of the general administration department said today that the notice had been sent to Anil's official residence and also by email to ensure he couldn't offer any excuse this time. 'Earlier notices were sent to him twice but he didn't reply. The department is set to initiate disciplinary action as he had proceeded on leave without approval from the competent authority,' the official told The Telegraph on the condition of anonymity.

The SIT headed by Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj had told the government that Anil's interrogation was required as he had been accused of tampering with evidence. Anil was posted as officer on special duty with the BSSC when the exam question paper leak occurred. His senior and 1987 batch IAS officer, Sudhir Kumar, is still languishing in jail in the case.

The SIT submitted the chargesheet, running into over 1,000 pages, against 36 persons, including Sudhir and then BSSC secretary Parmeshwar Ram, in May. The chargesheet, however, didn't mention Anil as an accused. Anil had earlier issued a statement saying he was being implicated in the case though he had nothing to do with the affairs of the BSSC.

'My parent posting is with the state planning board as its advisor. I was given additional charge as officer on special duty with BSSC, which I seldom visited. I have not availed of any facility given to BSSC officers,' He had earlier told this newspaper that Patna SSP and SIT chief Maharaaj and a senior IAS officer were victimising him for being a whistle-blower in the 'promotion scam'.

Rebutting SIT's charge, Anil had said: 'I was posted with BSSC practically without any work. Then how could I have tampered with evidence in the question paper leak case?' Anil had earlier sent a letter to the chief secretary requesting for three months' leave (March 1 to June 1) for treatment of a spinal cord injury. Later he moved to AIIMS-Delhi and other hospitals. But the SIT rubbished his charge saying if he had nothing to do with BSSC, then why was he on the run.