Whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka to be transferred on Central deputation
Khemka said that he had sought central deputation over three months back
New Delhi: Amid speculation that he may be shifted to the Centre, whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who had sparked a controversy by questioning land deals of Robert Vadra in Haryana, today said he has sent a request for central deputation but has not yet got a response.
Khemka, a 1991-batch officer currently holding the post of Secretary, Haryana Government, Department of Archives, said that he had sought central deputation over three months back.
"I had asked for central deputation in March," Khemka told PTI, but added that he was not aware of the status of his request, which was recently forwarded to the Centre by the state government.
"I am fine with any ministry or department," said the Haryana cadre IAS officer, who had initiated inquiry into the alleged irregularities in land deals between DLF and Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
Asked whether the government had taken a call on Khemka's request, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh was non-committal.
"We are not commenting on this issue," he said, adding, "The placement is a part of the natural process of administration. It's not appropriate to attach motives."
Khemka, who hit the headlines for cancelling mutation of Vadra's land deal with realty giant DLF in Gurgaon in October 2012, has accused Haryana government of victimising him.
In 2013 the state government had charge sheeted Khemka for "wrongly" cancelling mutation of the deal.
The Haryana government had earlier alleged that cancelling the mutation was an administratively improper step by Khemka since he stood transferred as Managing Director of Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) on October 11, 2012 from his earlier post of Director General Consolidation of Land Holdings and Land Records-cum-Inspector General of Registration.