GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat govt on Thursday ordered the compulsory retirement of two mid-level IAS officers — Kankipati Rajesh and Gaurav Dahiya — in a major disciplinary action against officers whose service records had come under scrutiny.Rajesh, a 2011-batch IAS officer, has been under suspension since July 2022 and faces alleged corruption and money-laundering cases being investigated by CBI and Enforcement Directorate. Dahiya, a 2010-batch officer, was suspended in Aug 2019 following allegations of misconduct, moral turpitude, bigamy and cheating. He was reinstated in July 2023, nearly four years after his suspension.State govt officials said the action followed a review of the officers’ service records by Union govt’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). “We have completed the process as directed by the DoPT. Gujarat govt has followed orders of the DoPT in issuing premature retirement orders to the two officers,” the ACS said.Govt sources said the compulsory retirement orders were issued after the two officers were found to be “unsuitable for service” under Rule 13 of the All India Services Rules, which deals with “Suitability for service”.Rajesh had faced extensive investigations by CBI and ED in connection with alleged corruption during his tenure as Surendranagar collector. CBI registered an FIR against him and subsequently filed a chargesheet in May 2022, alleging extortion, bribery and misuse of public office.ED subsequently initiated a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and filed a prosecution complaint in Oct 2022. It also attached assets worth Rs 1.55 crore, including bank deposits and properties in Surat, alleging that these represented proceeds of crime.Investigators had alleged that Rajesh operated a bribe-for-licences racket involving the issuance of 271 arms licences. The probe found that some licences were cleared despite negative security recommendations from district police, with applicants allegedly being made to pay cash bribes.Dahiya’s suspension followed a preliminary report submitted by a five-member inquiry committee on allegations levelled by a Delhi-based woman. The allegations included misconduct, bigamy, moral turpitude and cheating. After his suspension was revoked in July 2023, he was reinstated and posted as additional development commissioner in Gandhinagar.Meanwhile, sources said disciplinary action could also be initiated against other suspended officers. The names under consideration include IAS officers Aayush Oak and Rajendra Patel, besides GAS cadre officer Ketki Vyas.
