Senior bureaucrat Ashok Khemka transferred again
Senior bureaucrat Ashok Khemka, who first made headlines in 2012 after he cancelled a land deal involving Robert Vadra and DLF, has been transferred yet again. This was the 51st transfer in his 30-year career. Khemka, earlier the principal secretary in the Haryana Social Justice and Empowerment Department, has been posted as principal secretary in the Sports and Youth Affairs Department.
'Vested interests win. Déjà vu. But this is temporary'
Khemka picked a bone with Congress with his actions
The 1991-batch IAS officer in 2012 cancelled a land deal between Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Vadra and realty major DLF. An auditor's report claimed the then-Congress government in Haryana broke laws to enable the deal. However, the government ignored the report and set up its own probe, accusing Khemka of "illegally" cancelling the deal and "causing damage to Mr Vadra's reputation".
A change of government didn't change Khemka's fate
After the BJP came to power in Haryana in 2014, the party praised him and backed the "upright" officer. Charges of professional misconduct against him were dropped. But within months, he was transferred yet again amid reports of differences with a minister. There is speculation the latest transfer order came after Khemka asked a minister to return an officer's car.
12 other officers transferred along with Khemka
Apart from Khemka, 12 other IAS officers have also been transferred by the Haryana government including Sunil Kumar Gulati, additional chief secretary (ACS) in Fisheries, and Shaleen, additional secretary in Finance.
