The Gujarat government compulsorily retired two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, K Rajesh and Gaurav Dahiya, following extensive inquiries into alleged corruption, financial irregularities, and official misconduct.
The administrative action against both officers was taken under an initiative termed ‘Operation Gangajal,’ according to state government officials.
K Rajesh, a 2011-batch IAS officer who was already under suspension prior to the order, was compulsorily retired in light of ongoing criminal investigations and proceedings. These cases involve allegations of bribery, illegal land allotments, and money laundering.
Rajesh was previously arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in 2022 in connection with a corruption case linked to his tenure as the district collector of Surendranagar between April 2018 and June 2021. Investigators alleged that he solicited and accepted bribes regarding the issuance of arms licenses and the allotment of government land. Following the CBI probe, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Rajesh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and subsequently filed a prosecution complaint against him in court.
Gaurav Dahiya, a 2010-batch officer who was serving as the additional development commissioner in Gandhinagar at the time of the order, was compulsorily retired following departmental inquiries and disciplinary proceedings. A state government official confirmed that the action stemmed from misconduct inquiries during his service, including issues related to his former tenure with the National Health Mission.
Dahiya, born on June 3, 1984, earned an MBBS degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi in 2007 before clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination and joining the IAS in 2010. His service record involved multiple state-level probes over the past several years.
The state government had originally ordered a formal departmental inquiry after suspending Dahiya in August 2019, when a state inquiry committee reported substance in allegations of bigamy and professional misconduct brought forward by a Delhi-based woman. At the time of his initial suspension, government officials noted that separate departmental inquiries into other complaints were also pending.
In November 2019, the Gujarat government instituted a separate inquiry into Dahiya’s financial transactions. Retired IAS officer V S Gadhavi was appointed to investigate allegations concerning his financial dealings, which included scrutiny over the purchase of a residential flat in Delhi for the complainant.
Nearly four years after his initial suspension, the Gujarat government revoked Dahiya’s suspension in July 2023 and appointed him as additional development commissioner in Gandhinagar. Prior to the compulsory retirement order, Dahiya was scheduled to retire from service in 2044.
Sources
– [Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/gujarat-govt-compulsorily-retires-two-ias-officers-under-operation-gangajal-101790871259867.html)
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
