Whistleblower IAS officer moved out

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 27

As the amount in the post-matric scholarship scam swelled to Rs 18.45 crore, the government on Thursday transferred IAS officer Sanjeev Verma, who had exposed the fraud in the Department of Welfare of Schedules Castes and Backward Classes.

Verma had threatened to sit on ‘satyagraha’ outside the Chandigarh Police headquarters in May as they were taking time to register a case based on his report. The first report had pegged the amount at Rs 3.5 crore, which had now swelled to Rs 18.45 crore.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar sent the case to the Haryana Vigilance Bureau on May 30 as Verma had sought a vigilance probe. Verma had sent the second report dated June 4 to the Chandigarh Police, yet a case was not registered.

The report had pointed out misappropriation of Rs 14.92 crore in Sonepat, Rohtak, Panipat and Fatehabad, where the money went to 2,054 beneficiaries in connivance with officials. Sources said the second report led to Verma’s transfer. He is on medical leave and could not be contacted.

“Transfers are routine. It is an administrative decision. Archives is not an inferior department,” said Rajiv Jain, media adviser to Chief Minister.