United Nations, April 2 (Reuters): The head of the UN watchdog agency yesterday accused UN staff of mounting a smear campaign against him as he faced a renewed probe of allegations he traded jobs for personal favours.

Dileep Nair, head of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, whose contract expires on April 23, launched a counter-attack after being told he was subject to a second review on improper job promotions and ?sexual contact.?

Nair and his attorney released documents from UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and others that showed he was cleared of the allegations in November stemming from an employees union, the UN Staff Council.

His argument with the UN follows a drumbeat of recent glum news for the world body, with both managers and staff more emboldened to go public following probes into the oil-for-food programme in Iraq.

?I am seriously concerned that this attempt by the Staff (Council) to smear my reputation and harm OIOS has gained credence by the failure of the organisation to address this matter promptly...,? Nair wrote on March 11 to Mark Malloch Brown, Annan?s new chief-of-staff.

He contended that after Annan found allegations unfounded Malloch Brown reopened them in December. UN spokesman Fred Eckhard said on Thursday the reason for this was because of protests from the staff committee, which contended it could now provide better documentation for its allegations.

But Nair?s attorney, Richard Dienst, in a letter to Annan, dated March 28, said that ?rather than dismissing the unfounded and unsubstantiated claims, yet a third bite of the apple is being offered to the Staff Council? in contravention of due process,

Nair is facing separate allegations of misconduct in a report released on Tuesday.