Patna: The family of a retired IPS officer in hospital with a brain haemorrhage has complained of difficulties in meeting the costs because his retirement benefits have not been released.

Mansoor Ahmad (61) suffered the brain haemorrhage at his Digha residence last week.

He is now struggling for life at a private hospital in Patna. One of his relatives said: "They (officials of the state government) should release the money at this stage. The family is in dire need of money to continue his treatment. We have deferred his surgery because of lack of funds. He is admitted in the intensive care unit of the hospital."

The family said the government owed Mansoor over Rs 20 lakh.

He retired on November 30 last year as deputy inspector-general (home guards). Allotted IPS cadre in 2001, Mansoor faced departmental proceedings because he allegedly made unsavoury remarks at senior officers during an event in Patna after prohibition.

He also invited disciplinary action for alleged encroachment of a portion of a road near his residence under Digha police station in Patna. He had sought permission to hold a news conference against the chief secretary and principal secretary (home).

Mansoor, who hails from Vaishali district, later filed a petition in the Patna bench of the central administrative tribunal against the government's suspension order.

The tribunal quashed the departmental proceedings initiated against the officer in November 2016, but his post-retirement benefits never came, the family claimed.

A bench comprising S.K. Pattnaik and A.K. Upadhyay had rapped the government for not applying its mind before initiating action against the IPS officer.

The home department had sought more time to complete the proceedings, but the bench turned it down and directed the government to restore Mansoor's service with immediate effect.

Mansoor's colleague, who didn't wish to be named, said the officer fought against the system throughout his life. "He was under duress because of non-payment of gratuity and other benefits. He had also written to the home department but the officials are least bothered," he said.