Centre assures justice to UP IAS officer; report awaited

The Centre today gave an assurance that justice would be done to suspended IAS officer Durga Sakthi Nagpal, who had clamped down on the mining mafia in Gautam Budh Nagar area of Uttar Pradesh, amid growing demands for her reinstatement.

A delegation of All India IAS officers association met Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy to press for revocation of 28-year-old Nagpal's suspension and ensuring more safeguards for such officers performing their duties.

Noting that Nagpal has been suspended without being given an opportunity, Narayanasamy said the Centre was still awaiting a report from the Uttar Pradesh government informing it of the officer's suspension.

"The officer has been suspended without giving an opportunity. We wanted a report from Uttar Pradesh government about suspension of the officer Durga Nagpal. We are awaiting reply from the state government on that," Narayanasamy told reporters here.

"Unless I get report, we won't react to any kind of emotion or some kind of media report. We will wait for the reply from the state government," the Minister said.

Narayanasamy also met a delegation of All India IAS Officers' Association on the issue.
"I have received a representation from IAS association and from our side we will ensure that rules are followed, procedures are followed. The Government of India always look into the issue in a dispassionate manner. Therefore there is no need to worry," he said.
The minister told the delegation that the Centre would look into the matter as soon as the reply is given by the state government.

"Definitely the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) being the cadre controlling authority for IAS officers will act," he added.

IAS Association Secretary Sanjay R Bhoos Reddy said he had received assurance from the government that justice will be done.

"The Minister assured us that he will look into all facts. I have been assured justice will be done," Reddy told reporters here after the meeting.

The Association, which at present has about 4,737 members (equal to the number of officers of the elite service), has sought immediate revocation of Nagpal's suspension.
Nagpal, a 2010-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was suspended on July 27 ostensibly for ordering demolition of wall of a mosque without following due process.
Her suspension has evoked sharp reaction from opposition parties, including BJP and BSP, who alleged that she was removed over her action on sand mafia operating in Gautam Budh Nagar area of the state.

Nagpal, as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Gautam Budh Nagar, had cracked down on sand mafia active in that area.

The young IAS officer is at present attached to the Board of Revenue in Lucknow.
Notwithstanding any opposition and requests, the UP government is considering to charge sheet the suspended officer, a preliminary process to initiate disciplinary proceedings against an officer.

Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav defended the suspension of the IAS officer claiming that action was taken against her for demolishing the wall of a mosque without consulting seniors and not for preventing illegal sand mining.