Title - Pinki's railways job fate hinges on court order

KOLKATA: Pinki Pramanik, who has already spent over 48 hours behind the bars, has been suspended by Eastern Railway, where she worked as a travel ticket examiner (TTE). Her suspension can only be revoked if the court acquits her of all charges, an official said. However, even if rape charges against her can't be proved but medical tests confirm that she is a male, Pinki will stand to lose her job, the one she got through the sports quota.Meanwhile, senior officials in the railways have gone into a huddle after questions started to be raised on how she got the job in the first place. Indian Railway rules clearly state that medical and physical tests are mandatory for all candidates, even if they belong to the sports quota. The incident has caused considerable embarrassment to officials as her achievements as an athlete were showcased by the railways."We have never come across such a situation. As per rules, she has been suspended from the Railways till hearing of the case is over. The case has brought to light that recruitment rules are not taken seriously by those concerned. If necessary, we shall conduct a full inquiry into what actually took place during her recruitment. Those involved will be questioned on whether proper medical tests were conducted. The recruitment process followed for the appointment of other sportspersons may also go under the scanner," an official said. There are several officers who feel the Railways shouldn't go out of its way to hire sportspersons. As it is, many of those who get jobs through the sports quota don't perform their duties to the full. Many of them simply use the Railways as a stepping stone on their way to success and then move on. Such sportspersons use the infrastructure provided by the Railways but give little in return. Another school of thought, however, supports the appointment of sportspersons. They point to people like P T Usha who work for the Railways and give the organization a good name. "We will wait for the trial and the decision of the court. If the court orders, we shall conduct a formal inquiry. At the moment, rules don't allow us to hold a parallel probe," the official added.Pinki was arrested on Thursday for allegedly raping and torturing her live-in partner. The complainant had claimed that Pinki was actually a male. After the arrest, the accused refused to undergo a medical test.In her illustrious career, Pinki won gold in 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games. She won silver at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year and won gold at the 2005 Asian Indoor Games.