Civil servant in India sacked after not showing up to work for 25 years

A civil servant in India has finally been sacked after not showing up to work for 25 years.

AK Verma worked as an electrical engineer for the Central Public Works Department for a decade from 1980, the Indian Express reports.

He took some earned leave in December 1990 and then sought further time off, which was not granted, so Verma simply refused to return to work anyway.

An inquiry was launched in 1992, but was then delayed for several years.

The inquiry resumed in 2005 and two years later its report was submitted to the then Minister of Urban Development, but went no further.

It was only last Thursday that Verma was finally sacked by the current Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu.

It is not clear if Verma was paid during his absence.