IAS vs IAS: Former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai accuses special secretary vigilance of harassment

Senior IAS officer and former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai has alleged harassment by Special Secretary (Vigilance) YVVJ Rajasekhar, who is supervising a probe against him in connection with the demolition of a heritage palace here, sources in the Delhi government said.

However, Rajasekhar, also an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, claimed that the probe was based on "documentary evidence" and everything was on record.

The heritage structure, a remnant of the Sayyid dynasty, was allegedly demolished for the construction of the official residence of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Delhi Jal Borad (DJB) in South Delhi's Kilokari area during Rai's tenure.

No response could be elicited on the issue from Rai, a 2007-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, who is currently posted in Mizoram, despite repeated calls and messages.

In multiple complaints to the Union home ministry, the Delhi lieutenant governor and the Delhi chief minister, Rai has also demanded that Rajasekhar be replaced by a secretary-level officer to supervise the probe against him.

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In four complaints lodged by Rai over a period of four days from May 30 to June 2, he has accused Rajasekhar of "harassment" and targeting his family, including his wife and children, the official sources said on Sunday.

They said Rai has alleged harassment by Rajasekhar during the course of the probe.

Rajasekhar, a 2012-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, claimed that the probe against Rai was "documentary evidence-based" and everything was on record.

"It was already confirmed by a joint inspection report by the archaeology department and the DJB that a medieval heritage monument was demolished," he said.

The vigilance directorate tried to conduct an inspection in the presence of Rai, but the officer locked his official residence and did not allow the inspection to happen, Rajasekhar claimed.

"It had to be seen whether the officer constructed more than what was mentioned in the notice inviting tender for the construction of the official residence of the CEO of the DJB. The vigilance directorate is being forcefully prevented from conducting this investigation," he said.

The IAS officer said there are various issues such as award of contract to a contractor on single-financial tender basis.

The vigilance directorate is also examining the issue of "diverting" of funds of other projects for the construction of the DJB CEO's residence, he claimed.

The DJB has already given a notice for vacating the building to the former CEO of the DJB. In case, the officer does not give a response, the directorate proposes to go ahead with the probe according to records and the joint inspection report, Rajasekhar said.

In his first complaint to the Delhi chief secretary on May 30, Rai alleged that "… Rajasekhar is motivated and has a personal vendetta against me. His actions are partial, reek of personal prejudice against me".

Copies of the complaint were also sent to the lieutenant governor, the chief minister and the Union home secretary, among others.

Expressing fear that the inquiry against him in the vigilance probe would be "totally one sided" under Rajasekhar, the former DJB CEO has also urged the chief secretary to handover over the investigation to a "neutral officer" of the rank of secretary in the government of Delhi.

In his complaints, Rai said his family was in Delhi and he feared for its safety.

"My wife was routinely getting stalked by unknown men…she was getting abusive calls on the phone," Rai said in his complaints.

His wife, a teacher in a government school, has given a separate complaint to the police.

In his subsequent complaints on June 1 and June 2, Rai alleged that about 20 people with a huge police team tried to "break into" his house on May 31 when his family was away.

He was apparently referring to an "on ground" inspection carried out by officers of the DJB, and vigilance, archaeology and revenue departments on that day.

Rai alleged that Rajasekhar was trying to get the house vacated at the behest of the current DJB CEO, who wanted to occupy it.