Whistleblower Khemka transferred in compliance with court orders: Haryana government

The Haryana government has asserted that IAS officer Ashok Khemka's transfer was in compliance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and there were no other grounds of transfer. The officer is in the media spotlight for having ordered a probe into the land dealings of Robert Vadra, including cancelling the mutation of a Rs3.5-crore plot at Manesar.

The Haryana government yesterday said an inquiry had been ordered into the issues raised by the officer even though it was not in agreement with Khemka's arguments on Vadra's land deals.

A committee, headed by the additional chief secretary and comprising two senior members of the state government, had been formed to "look into the legality of actions taken by the officials concerned, including acts of omissions and commission, if any," and submit a report within a month.

According to the government, the officer himself had asked to be relieved of the charge of special collector, which is ''traditionally held by director, consolidation.''

A government spokesperson said the transfer request had come up during the hearing of a criminal writ petition in the High Court which, on 1 October, ordered the government to appoint another officer to the post.

According to the spokesperson the officer had tried to link the transfer to certain actions that he took on subsequent dates without any basis.