SP Pankaj Kamboj Tough taskmaster

Hazaribagh, May 16: Unlike average men, traffic sergeant Gazi Safdar Hayaat Khan was born thrice. Or so it would seem if his credentials are taken into account.

According to traffic department officials, Gazi’s service book says he joined work on December 7, 1968, at the age of 21. This means, he was born in the year 1947 and should have retired in 2007.

However, his matriculation certificate from Darbhanga Government High School, Bihar, showed his date of birth as June 7, 1950, and his retirement is due the same month this year. Again, in July 2001, Gazi filed an affidavit, saying he was born on July 6, 1950, which extends his job term to July this year.

The controversy over his date of birth prompted Hazaribagh SP Pankaj Kamboj to issue a showcause on April 29.

Sergeant Major Rajeev Kumar said the department had recently written to Gazi’s school for verification of his date of birth. “It is a serious issue. The sergeant has been denied a copy of the service book as the matter is under investigation,” Kumar added.

Talking to The Telegraph, Gazi, a resident of Hasmia Colony in the town, claimed his actual date of birth was June 7, 1950, as in the matriculation certificate.

“I went to Darbhanga to collect more proof of age after being served a showcause. I am not aware how my date of birth changed in the service book,” he said, adding that he would retire next month.

Sources, however, said the department would wait for a reply from his school before taking any decision.

Gazi has worked as the officer in charge of different police stations in the district. He was made traffic sergeant a few months ago.