Whistle-blower Haryana cadre IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who had alleged he was targeted for taking on Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra, is all set to move to the national capital on a central government posting. Khemka, a 1991-batch officer currently holding the post of secretary, Haryana Government, Department of Archives, said he had sought central deputation over three months back. ‘I had asked for central deputation in March,’ said Khemka, but added 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.
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 reportedly wrote a letter in April asking for central deputation, but was told his name can’t be circulated as he had a chargesheet pending against him. The chargesheet filed by the Haryana government in December accused Khemka of ‘causing damage to Robert Vadra’s reputation’ by cancelling his land deal in 2012. The officer had alleged that the Rs 57-crore deal between Vadra and real estate giant DLF in 2012 violated rules to facilitate windfall gains for Vadra. Khemka’s argument that the chargesheet was ‘political’ has apparently been accepted by the BJP-led union government. Whether he will get a PMO posting, is being speculated.