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Time of India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Sorry, if I rubbed anyone the wrong way': IAS officer Ashok Khemka's goodbye message
NEW DELHI: "I apologise if during this journey I rubbed anyone the wrong way," IAS officer Ashok Khemka said on the day of his retirement, marking the end of a bureaucratic journey that was anything but ordinary. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Known as much for his relentless integrity as for the political storms that often surrounded him, Khemka's 33-year career came to a close on Wednesday. Taking to platform X, Khemka wrote, "Today I complete my IAS career. Thanks to my family, colleagues and all well-wishers, without whose unflinching support this journey would not have been possible. I apologise if during this journey I rubbed anyone the wrong way." A 1991-batch officer, Khemka is perhaps best remembered for his decision in 2012 to annul a controversial land deal between Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra and real estate major DLF—a move that catapulted him into the national spotlight and cemented his image as a whistleblower unafraid of taking on the powerful. That decision, however, came at a cost. Over the course of his service, Khemka was transferred no fewer than 57 times, often to departments seen as peripheral or without policymaking weight. Despite facing political pushback under both Congress and BJP governments, Khemka remained steadfast in his commitment to clean governance . He retired as Additional Chief Secretary in Haryana's Transport Department but spent much of his career in less influential posts like archaeology, museums, and science & technology—even after being momentarily assigned to key roles under ministers like Anil Vij. His career arc—marked by repeated administrative sidelining—stood in stark contrast to the public support he garnered, particularly during the 2014 elections when the BJP projected his stand on the Vadra-DLF deal as emblematic of its anti-corruption stance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But once in power, the same party did little to elevate him. In fact, Khemka openly voiced his disillusionment in a 2019 letter to then Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, accusing the government of transferring him based on 'extraneous and personal considerations.' In that letter, he lamented the declining ideals of bureaucracy, writing, 'Governance is no longer a service; it is a business.' Now, as he steps away from the civil services, Khemka plans to reinvent himself as a legal professional . 'I will apply to the bar council for a licence to practice as an advocate,' he told The Times of India, indicating that his mission to serve the public will continue—just in a different capacity. The IAS Officers Association gave him a formal send-off, attended by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. But for those who've followed Khemka's career, it's clear that his legacy won't be defined by his farewell, but by the fearless and often lonely path he chose to walk in public service. Whether his next chapter in law will echo the same ethos of accountability remains to be seen—but few doubt that Ashok Khemka will continue to make his presence felt.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Retired IAS officer Ashok Khemka plans to start new innings as lawyer
Retired IAS officer Ashok Khemka CHANDIGARH: Ashok Khemka , the Haryana IAS officer best known for annulling a controversial land deal involving Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra and real estate giant DLF in 2012, has retired from service and now plans to begin a new chapter—as a lawyer. Ending a 33-year-long career that saw an extraordinary 57 transfers, often to "inconsequential" posts, Khemka told The Times of India that he will be applying to the Bar Council for a license to practice law. 'I will apply to the bar council for a licence to practice as an advocate,' he confirmed, signaling his intent to continue serving the public, albeit from a different platform. A 1991-batch officer, Khemka retired on Wednesday as Additional Chief Secretary in the Haryana Transport Department. His tenure was marked by repeated clashes with successive governments—both Congress and BJP—stemming from his reputation as a whistleblower and a strict enforcer of rules. Despite being briefly entrusted with senior roles, including his last posting under Minister Anil Vij, Khemka was often shuffled between departments such as archaeology, museums, and science & technology, with little policy influence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo The BJP had once hailed Khemka's stand on the Vadra-DLF deal as a symbol of its anti-corruption plank in the 2014 general elections. However, once in power both at the Centre and in Haryana, the party offered him few substantial roles. Khemka did not shy away from expressing his disappointment. In a 2019 letter to then CM Manohar Lal Khattar, he criticized the state for transferring him based on 'extraneous and personal considerations.' 'Governance is no longer a service; it is a business,' he had written, expressing frustration with the erosion of public service values. Despite the turbulence, Khemka remained committed to the idea of public accountability. He was given a formal farewell by the IAS Officers Association in the presence of Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. Now, as he transitions into the legal field, observers will be watching whether Khemka's next innings brings the same principled activism that defined his bureaucratic career.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Khemka ends career marked by 57 transfers & 'inconsequential' roles
CHANDIGARH: Haryana bureaucrat Ashok Khemka, whose 2012 decision to cancel a controversial Gurgaon land deal involving Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra and realty firm DLF cemented his reputation as a stickler for rules, retired from service on Wednesday after a career marked by an astonishing 57 transfers . The 1991 batch IAS officer retired as additional chief secretary of transport department. BJP had flagged the Vadra-DLF deal as a symbol of corruption during its 2014 Lok Sabha campaign against the then UPA govt. But Khemka didn't quite become anyone's blue-eyed boy. While BJP came to govt at the Centre and the state, the bureaucrat remained a rolling stone, with no consequential assignment coming his way until the fag end of his career. He was appointed additional chief secretary last Dec in a department headed by minister Anil Vij, who is known to trust him. For some time, Khemka was posted in the science and technology department, which Vij previously headed. Most of his tenure, first under Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress govt and then BJP ministry, was spent in the archaeology and museums department. BJP had once cited Khemka's alleged persecution as a manifestation of Congress getting even with "a whistleblower". But even before the party had completed a year at the Centre since winning the 2024 polls, he was back in a purportedly inconsequential role. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Intel Laptops + 1:1 Support for Your Team Lenovo Pro Benefits Learn More Undo Khemka had vented on social media and written to the govt about "mistreatment" on several occasions. In a letter ex-Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar in 2019, he said some of his transfers at the time were "not in public interest, but based on extraneous and personal considerations". Referring to the DLF-Vadra land deal, which he cancelled after noticing alleged irregularities, Khemka had said: "The promise made to the nation at the time of the 2014 elections is now forgotten." "Governance is no longer a service; it is a business. Only a few fools like me will think and act like trustees of the public faith. Hoping against hope you will not throw this letter into the dustbin, I also request you to please accord me permission to write and seek an audience from the PM on the issue highlighted in this letter in public interest," he wrote. He was given a farewell by the IAS Officers Association in the presence of chief secretary Anurag Rastogi. Khemkatold TOI he planned to start a new innings as a lawyer. "I will apply to the bar council for a licence to practice as an advocate," he said.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
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
NEW DELHI: Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka , whose name became synonymous with bureaucratic integrity and political friction, is set to retire this week from his post as additional chief secretary in Haryana's Transport Department. Known as much for his honesty as for the 57 transfers he endured in 34 years of service, the 1991-batch Haryana-cadre officer bows out with a reputation few civil servants can claim—one built on defiance in the face of political pressure . You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Khemka's final posting came in December 2024. As he prepares to formally exit government service on Wednesday, his career remains defined by a single explosive episode from over a decade ago: the 2012 cancellation of a Gurugram land deal involving Robert Vadra , son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, and realty giant DLF. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo The flashpoint that shaped a career In October 2012, Khemka—then posted as Director General, Consolidation of Land Holdings—was suddenly transferred. But before relinquishing charge, he issued an order cancelling the mutation of a 3.5-acre land deal between Vadra's firm and DLF in Gurugram. The move questioned the legality of the transaction and disrupted powerful interests. The backlash was swift. Allegations flew that Khemka had overstepped his jurisdiction, failed to provide the affected parties a hearing, and even deliberately stayed in office four days after his transfer to pass the controversial order. The government accused him of violating multiple All India Service Rules and faulted him for going public with criticism of government policies—charges Khemka defended in a detailed letter to the chief secretary at the time. Within a day of his transfer, Khemka had also ordered deputy commissioners across four districts—Gurgaon, Palwal, Faridabad, and Mewat—to examine whether stamp duty had been paid properly in land deals linked to Vadra's firm. The government called the move "selective" and disproportionate, claiming thousands of land transactions had occurred between 2005 and 2012, but Khemka zeroed in on just one. The price of whistleblowing? What followed was a barrage of transfers and departmental actions that seemed designed to isolate the officer. In the months after the Vadra-DLF episode, Khemka was moved to the Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC). There, too, he raised red flags—this time over irregular fungicide procurement for wheat seed treatment. That exposure prompted another transfer, to the archives department in 2013. Then came the inquiries. Between September and November 2013, the Haryana government slapped him with multiple charge sheets: one for cancelling the mutation, another for low seed sales at HSDC, and others based on complaints related to procurement of moong, weedicides, and even roofing sheets. In some cases, Khemka's name didn't even appear in the original complaint—but his presence in the system made him the focus of investigation. Even a four-year-old employee promotion issue was revived against him. Each time, Khemka responded with documents, explanations, and denials. And each time, the state found new grounds to question him.
