Delhi govt to take disciplinary action against IAS YVVJ Rajasekhar for corruption
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi government has said since it has received several complaints against him, it will initiate disciplinary proceedings against IAS officer YVVJ Rajasekhar, who is probing vigilance matters related to excise policy and renovation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's bungalow.
Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has submitted a formal request to the CM, appealing for immediate transfer of Rajasekhar, according to an official statement.
There was no immediate reaction from the officer on the development.
Rajasekhar is currently posted as Special Secretary, Vigilance, in the Delhi government.
According to the services minister, swift action needs to be taken against him to protect official records and ensure the safety of employees.
In a detailed dossier submitted to the CM, the minister noted that the officer has a long history of being on radar of CBI, Central Vigilance Commission, CBI, and the vigilance department for several incidents of corruption, and is in habit of keeping unauthorised possession of sensitive vigilance files for "ulterior motives."
"The minister expressed grave concerns regarding the negative impact of Rajasekhar's presence in the Vigilance Department, highlighting the urgent need for his transfer or removal. He has denounced Rajasekhar for his continuous dissemination of false, frivolous, and concocted misinformation for personal gain," the government statement said.
The minister called for disciplinary proceedings to be initiated against Rajasekhar alleging that he violated AIS (Conduct) Rules 1968.
He recommended that all complaints received against him for allegedly indulging in corrupt practices and misconduct must be referred to an investigative agency.
Charges against Rajasekhar include blatant insubordination, undisciplined behaviour, falsification of material facts, and other serious transgressions, the statement added.
As per the note submitted by the Services Minister to the CM on May 13, all work assigned to Rajasekhar was withdrawn with immediate effect in lieu of a complaint that alleged that he was running an extortion racket and demanding protection money.
In another note the same day, the Services Minister further said that all assistant directors of the Vigilance department should present their files directly to the Secretary (Vigilance) and not Rajasekhar.
The secretary, vigilance, was further directed to take custody of all files being held by Rajasekhar under the apprehension of fear of tampering or destruction by him.
"At no stage, as is amply clear from the above referenced orders, were any instructions issued to Secretary (Vig.) to put up files to the office of the Minister. Despite these written orders, Shri YVVJ Rajasekhar has deliberately, willfully and illegally held hostage umpteen files pertaining to Vigilance Department, seemingly due to ulterior motives.
"Furthermore, rather than complying with instructions of his superiors and submitting himself to fair investigation, he resorted to concocting false and frivolous stories and sharing them widely in the media to undermine the credibility of the functioning of Minister In-charge and Secretary(Vig) of GNCTD," the note reads.
The note said Rajasekhar is guilty of "blatant violation" of AIS Rules which prescribe the general as well as specific behaviours for the conduct of officers to ensure integrity and devotion of duty.
"Here, it would be prudent to place on record that just in the last week, a serious allegation has been received against Rajasekhar who has been alleged to be the mastermind behind a 'Cash for Compassionate Jobs scam' totalling to Rs 15 crore in the Services Department," the note states.
The complaint claims that Rajasekhar has been running an organised racket, demanding Rs 5 lakh for each genuine placement on compassionate grounds, running the sum up to Rs 15 crore for 300 such candidates, the complainant being one of them.
The minister in the note also wondered whether Rajasekhar misused his official position to extract crores of rupees from the dependents of employees of the Delhi government who died in service.
The BJP termed the call for action against Rajasekhar a ruse to remove him since being in the Vigilance department, he is in part responsible for probes against excise policy and inordinate amount allegedly spent by Kejriwal on his official bungalow.
Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva alleged Kejriwal wants to appoint a pliable officer in Rajasekhar's place to influence these probes.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
