Latest news with #Maharashtra-cadre
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
DoPT directs states to probe complaints of certificate irregularities involving civil services officers
Pune: The department of personnel and training has initiated a comprehensive verification exercise targeting civil services officers, who are accused of securing their positions through alleged irregularities in reservation certificates. This follows complaints by activists from across the country, including one by Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar. He has flagged irregularities in the selection of candidates recruited between 2015 and 2023 through the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). A DoPT official, who did not wish to be named, told TOI, "Verification letters have been dispatched to various state govts, including Maharashtra." He, however, avoided getting into the numbers and the specifics of the cases under scrutiny. Kumbhar said he has received copies of DoPT letters covering 15 officials currently under investigation, which includes 11 from Indian Administrative Service (IAS), two from Indian Police Service, one from Indian Foreign Service, and one from Indian Revenue Service. "The complaints allege misuse of certificates across various reservation categories, including economically weaker sections (EWS), persons with benchmark disabilities, other backward classes–non-creamy layer, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes," he said. The verification has begun across Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Kerala. At the Central level, the ministry of home affairs, department of revenue, and the ministry of external affairs are among the departments tasked with verifying records of candidates now serving in their respective cadres. Among the 15 complaints, one involves a Maharashtra-cadre official. Senior state govt officials confirmed receiving the verification request and assured due diligence in investigating the alleged certificate irregularities. "Since the candidate has been appointed to IAS under EWS category, state govt is requested to verify the authenticity of the certificate issued to the official under EWS category and provide their comments to this department," stated the letter sent by Anshuman Mishra, under secretary, ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions, DoPT, on May 5. A copy was marked to Kumbhar. Kumbhar said the misuse of reserved category benefits in civil services recruitment not only violates constitutional provisions but also deprives genuinely deserving candidates of their rightful opportunities. "Govt must act swiftly to prevent this pattern from continuing." He highlighted particular vulnerabilities in EWS category, which relies on self-declared income limits of Rs 8 lakh per annum and loosely defined asset thresholds. "Ambiguity in eligibility norms makes it easier to manipulate the system." Kumbhar has urged Central govt, DoPT, and UPSC to undertake comprehensive structural reforms in the selection and post-selection verification. His key recommendations include real-time validation of caste, income, and domicile certificates through integration of UPSC systems with state databases, mandatory post-selection audits of reservation claims before final appointments, and strict penal provisions against candidates and certifying authorities found guilty of irregularities.
India Today
16-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Sharad Pawar helped Amit Shah get bail in 2010 CBI case, Sanjay Raut's big claim
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut's upcoming book 'Narkatla Swarg' (Heaven in Hell), which chronicles his time in Arthur Road Jail and his encounters with investigative agencies, has stirred a political storm even before its formal to launch this Sunday in the presence of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, the book's excerpts — accessed exclusively by India Today TV — have triggered sharp reactions in political the most explosive revelations is the claim that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder and former Union Minister Sharad Pawar used his influence during the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era to secure bail for Amit Shah, who was then under the CBI scanner in a high-profile murder case in Gujarat.'SHARAD PAWAR HELPED AMIT SHAH GET BAIL' In 2010, Shah was facing multiple charges and had been declared 'tadipar' (externed) from Gujarat. In his book, Raut claimed that a Maharashtra-cadre CBI officer was strongly opposing Shah's bail, and the UPA government — particularly the Congress — was actively pushing legal proceedings against to the book, then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who had a fraught relationship with the UPA government, reached out to Sharad Pawar for help. Pawar, then a cabinet minister in the Manmohan Singh-led government, allegedly intervened and facilitated Shah's bail.'AMIT SHAH APPROACHED BAL THACKERAY'advertisementThe book goes further, recounting a second incident involving Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray. Sanjay Raut claimed that a Amit Shah, fearing imminent arrest despite having secured interim bail, made an unannounced visit to Matoshree — Thackeray's residence — along with his son Jay Shah. Denied entry on his first attempt due to tight security, Shah returned the next day and finally managed to meet the Sena their meeting, Raut claims, Shah reportedly grew emotional and appealed for help, telling Balasaheb Thackeray that his loyalty to Hindutva had now put him and his family at by the appeal, Balasaheb made a discreet but decisive phone call. "In whatever capacity and chair you may have, don't forget that you are Hindu also," Raut's book quotes Balasaheb Thackeray as saying to the unnamed recipient. That one call, according to Raut, eased the legal hurdles for Amit Shah and "played a pivotal role in shaping his political ascent".But the book doesn't stop at recounting favours. Raut notes with bitterness that Amit Shah, after rising to power, turned his back on those who once stood by him. "Amit Shah forgot all those favours, and behaved very cruelly with Shiv Sena and the Thackeray family," he SHIV SENA REACTadvertisementReacting to Sajay Raut's claims, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said that he was too old to read fiction stories meant for children."I have stopped reading fiction and stories. I am no longer at the age to read such things which are meant for children. So, I don't read them. Forget it, who is Sanjay Raut anyway? Is he some big leader?" Fadnavis said while speaking to Sena (Eknath Shinde) MP Sanjay Sirsat also rejected Sanjay Raut's claim, accusing him of creating fabricated stories."After spending time in jail, Sanjay Raut wrote a book titled Narakatla Swarg, in which he tried to create fabricated stories. Balasaheb Thackeray, whether helping Amit Shah or PM Modi, never boasted about it or spoke openly. Helping others quietly was his nature. But Sanjay Raut scripted a story," Sirsat Watch
