Diplomat's career hangs in balance after misdemeanour

A decade later, Jha finds his career hanging in balance with the Ministry of External Affairs preparing to take strong action against him for his alleged misdemeanour onboard an Air India flight on January 7.

Jha was flying to New York to take up his new assignment as a First Secretary in India’s Permanent Mission in the UN. The MEA recalled after receiving the complaint about his alleged misbehaviour with co-passengers and crews both onboard the flight as well as after landing at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York.

“The Ministry is aware of the unfortunate incident. The matter was looked into immediately. The officer since stands transferred back to headquarters,” said the MEA spokesman and Joint Secretary (External Publicity) Vishnu Prakash, adding that the “necessary follow up actions” would be taken after his return to Delhi.

Sources said that the MEA had transferred the young diplomat back to the headquarters in South Block after the Permanent Mission of India in New York reported the allegations against him to New Delhi. He is understood to have reached New Delhi on Wednesday.
Sources in the MEA said that his brilliant academic career was factored in before sending him to India’s Permanent Mission in the United Nations – believed to be a prime posting for the IFS officers - as a First Secretary. But Jha’s alleged misdemeanour itself apparently grounded his career just when it was about to take off.