Chandigarh : Haryana’s IAS officer Dr. Ashok Khemka, who exposed the controversial land deal between Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra’s company Skylight and real estate company DLF in 2008, will retire today on Wednesday. The IAS Officers Association has also organized a farewell party in the evening in honor of Khemka, who is currently working as Additional Chief Secretary in the Transport Department of Cabinet Minister Anil Vij.
When did Ashok Khemka come into the limelight?
Ashok Khemka a 1991 batch IAS officer has been in the news due to his frequent transfers and posts on the internet media. He came into the limelight when he was Consolidation Director in the government of then Chief Minister Bhupendra Singh Hooda. He had ordered the cancellation of the mutation of the land deal between DLF and Robert Vadra in Gurugram.
Due to his order regarding cancellation of mutation, Hooda and Vadra’s troubles started. They are still facing the investigation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Khemka also exposed the seed scam.
According to sources 9 IAS officers of the state will retire this year. These include Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, who will retire on June 30. Rastogi was made the Chief Secretary after Vivek Joshi became the Election Commissioner of India. Vivek Joshi had taken premature retirement (VRS).
Bhiwani Deputy Commissioner Mahavir Kaushik is also going to retire on June 30 along with Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. Before him, Rural Development Department Director and Special Secretary Jai Krishna Ahir will retire on May 31. Registrar Cooperative Societies Rajesh Jogpal will retire on September 30.
Jogpal is also the Director of Food and Supplies Department. Transport Department Director General Sujan Singh will retire on October 31. Gurugram Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg will retire on November 30. Ashok Kumar Garg also holds the responsibility of DMC (District Municipal Commissioner) of Gurugram district.
Gurugram Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Chandra Bidhan will retire on 31 December. He also holds the charge of Director General of Gurugram-based HIPA (Haryana Institute of Public Administration). Currently, a total of 172 IAS officers are working in the state.
Due to Anurag Rastogi’s retirement on 30th June, lobbying has started for the post of Chief Secretary. At present, Sudhir Rajpal of the 1990 batch is the most senior officer in the state bureaucracy. At present, he is the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health and AYUSH Department.
He also holds the responsibility of Additional Chief Secretary of Women and Child Development. IAS of the same batch and Home Secretary of the state Dr. Sumita is second in seniority. The name of IAS of the same batch and Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Department Raja Shekhar Wundru is also in discussion for the post of Chief Secretary like Sudhir Rajpal and Sumita Mishra.