Gifts in Kind | 03 Jan 2023

Mohit has been working as the District Magistrate in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra for last 3 years.

The administration recently inaugurated the “Community Hall” for the people of Gadchiroli.

Mohit helped the construction company by expeditiously settling the bills for the supply it made to the government.

The amount was large and the payment relieved the company from the liquidity crunch it was facing. The owner of the company was overwhelmed and offered gifts to Mohit as goodwill gesture, however Mohit politely refused the gifts offered.

Shortly thereafter, Mohit goes with family to a hill station where the owner of the construction has a hotel. Mohit conveyed in advance to the businessman that he would like to stay in his hotel and checks into that hotel.

The hotel management, on instructions from the businessman, treats Mohit and his family as guests and refuses to accept payment from Mohit on checking out.

Mohit, this time, didn’t insist on making payment and checked out of the hotel.

In your opinion, will this be considered as “Breach of the Official Code of Conduct?”.