Kejriwal takes on Hooda govt on senior officer's transfer

 Arvind Kejriwal today questioned the transfer of a senior Haryana IAS officer alleging that he was shunted out because he ordered a probe into land deals allegedly involving Robert Vadra and realty major DLF.

A 1991-batch officer, Ashok Khemka, the Director-General of Land Consolidation and Land Records-cum-Inspector General of Registration in Haryana, was transfered out of the post within three months of assuming charge.

He had ordered the probe three days back on land deals in Gurgaon, Faridabad, Palwal and Mewat since 2005.

"Haryana Chief Minister ought to answer to the country why has Khemka been transferred. What is transfer policy for IAS officers in Haryana? Under that policy, can officer be transferred merely because he was investigating Vadra?

"Ashok Khemka transferred by Haryana Govt because he was probing Vadra's land deals in Haryana. We strongly criticize that," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal alleged Khemka "upfronted a deal" that was to happen between Vadra and DLF and ordered its cancellation.

Khemka has written a letter to Haryana Chief Secretary complaining about his transfer.
However, he refused to divulge the content saying it was a representation given to the Chief Secretary but added that he was "anguished" and "suffering" due to 40 transfers in 21 years of service.

"If these problems are brought in sunshine, probably my decisions would appear to be normal and correct. But what happens is, inside, you are guided and directed to behave differently.

"If you do take an action which you call strong but I would call as correct, and then action is taken against you, it's very demoralising, dehumanising and you feel ashamed of yourself that look, there must be something wrong with you that these things are happening.

"You get words like 'you don't get along well with others, 'there are shades of grey in life' etc. These kinds of euphemism are created to deviate you from the correct path," Khemka told NDTV.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the Chief Secretary will look into Khemka's complaint. "As far as the Haryana government is concerned, we have not made out undue favour to anybody.