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NEW DELHI: Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, known for his stringent anti-corruption stance during his 34-year career marked by 57 transfers, is set to retire from his position as additional chief secretary of the Transport Department in Haryana on Wednesday after his last posting in December 2024.
Read also: Who is Ashok Khemka? IAS officer who cancelled Robert Vadra land deal mutation in 2012 to retire after 57 transfers in 34 years of service
The 1991-batch Haryana-cadre IAS officer gained national attention in 2012 when he cancelled the mutation of a Gurugram land deal connected to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law, Robert Vadra. A mutation is a process involved in transferring land ownership.
Born in Kolkata on April 30, 1965, Khemka holds impressive academic credentials, including a B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Kharagpur, a PhD from TIFR, and an MBA in Business Administration and Finance. He later completed his LLB from Panjab University while serving.
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Was Ashok Khemka’s frequent transfer a reflection of his commitment to fighting corruption?
His career was marked by frequent transfers, averaging one every six months, possibly the highest among Haryana’s bureaucrats. His latest posting brought him back to the transport department under Minister Anil Vij, nearly a decade after his previous four-month stint in the same role.
In 2023, Khemka wrote to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, expressing his desire to combat corruption through the vigilance department.
“Towards the end of my service career, I offer my services to head the vigilance department to root out corruption. If given an opportunity, I assure you there would be a real war against corruption and no one however high and mighty will be spared,” Khemka had written.
He highlighted the uneven distribution of work in the bureaucracy in his January 2023 letter, stating, “Lopsided distribution of work does not serve public interest.”
Following promotions of his batchmates, Khemka shared his thoughts on social media: “Congratulations to my batchmates newly appointed as Secretaries to GOI! While this is an occasion for merry, it brings equal measure of despondency for one’s own self having been left behind.”
He added, “Straight trees are always cut first. No regrets. With renewed resolve, I shall persist.”
Over the past 12 years, Khemka has primarily served in departments considered less prominent. He has been posted to the Archives department four times, with three assignments during the BJP-led government’s tenure.
His first posting to the Archives department came in 2013 under the Congress government, where he later served as director general and principal secretary.
He noted the lack of work in his Archives department posting while observing that some officers were overburdened with multiple departments and responsibilities, leading to constant crisis management.
During his career, Khemka maintained that he sacrificed his service career in his commitment to fighting corruption.
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