IAS officer Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda at the Centre of ₹51 crore mining fine row, denies allegations
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: A major controversy has erupted in Madhya Pradesh’s administrative circles involving IAS officer Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda, who is accused of drastically reducing a ₹51 crore illegal mining fine to merely ₹4,032 during his tenure as Additional District Magistrate (ADM) in Harda district. The allegations have led to intense public debate, with demands for greater transparency and accountability within the bureaucracy.
The issue came to light following a complaint by RTI activist Anand Jat, who accused Dr. Gowda of favouring a private company, Path India Limited, in a case linked to alleged illegal mining activities connected to the Indore–Betul National Highway project.
The controversy: From ₹51 crore to ₹4,032
According to official records and media reports, Path India Company was working on the Indore–Betul National Highway when it allegedly excavated 3.11 lakh cubic meters of murram soil in Andherikheda village, Harda district, without obtaining the necessary permissions. The then ADM, Praveen Phulpagare, had issued a notice imposing a penalty of ₹51.67 crore against the company for unauthorized extraction.
However, following Phulpagare’s transfer, Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda assumed charge as ADM. The case came up for review during his tenure, and in the final order, the fine amount was reduced to just ₹4,032, reportedly on the grounds that the previous estimates were unsupported by verifiable documentation.
Dr. Gowda’s decision has now become the focal point of public and media scrutiny, with critics questioning how a fine amounting to crores could be reduced to a few thousand rupees in an official proceeding.
RTI activist’s allegations: “A clear case of favouritism”
RTI activist Anand Jat, who brought the matter to light, claims that the fine reduction indicates possible favouritism or compromise between the administration and the company. He alleges that while official records claim the absence of photographic or video evidence of mining, local villagers reportedly possess visual proof of large-scale excavation.
In multiple statements, Jat has accused Dr. Gowda of “manipulating the case records” and “settling the issue through a backdoor deal.” He demanded an independent inquiry, arguing that the fine reduction has caused a significant loss to the exchequer and undermined public confidence in administrative fairness.
“Reducing a fine of ₹51 crore to ₹4,000 cannot be justified on any administrative ground. The documents clearly point to a cover-up,” Jat stated.
Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda’s response: ‘All actions were legal and evidence-based’
Facing mounting criticism, Dr. Gowda issued a formal clarification, categorically denying all allegations of corruption or bias.
According to his statement, the previous ADM had only issued a notice, not a finalized penalty, and the final adjudication was completed during his tenure after considering all available evidence.
“The ₹51 crore amount was not a finalized fine but a proposed figure in the initial notice. The subsequent inquiry found no substantial evidence to support the claims of large-scale illegal mining. The Tehsildar’s panchnama lacked verification, and the documentation was weak. Therefore, based on the available material and due legal procedure, the fine was calculated at ₹4,032,” Dr. Gowda said.
He further clarified that no appeal or objection was filed against his decision in the following two years, which, in his view, validates the legality and procedural soundness of his order.
“The decision was made on record, following due process, and in compliance with the legal framework. I am open to any review or inquiry. There was no wrongdoing on my part,” he added.
Who is IAS Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda?
Dr. Nagarjun B. Gowda, born on May 9, 1992, in Mandya district, Karnataka, is a doctor-turned-civil servant who secured All India Rank 418 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2018. A medical graduate from the Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, he worked as a resident doctor before cracking the country’s toughest exam while continuing his medical practice.
Initially allotted to the Manipur cadre, Dr. Gowda was later transferred to the Madhya Pradesh cadre upon marriage to his batchmate IAS Srushti Jayant Deshmukh, who ranked fifth among women in the same batch.
Both officers have a strong following among UPSC aspirants and are often regarded as “celebrity IAS officers” due to their online presence, motivational talks, and co-authored book on ethics.
Currently, Dr. Gowda serves as the CEO of the Khandwa District Panchayat, while his wife, Srushti Deshmukh, is the CEO of Burhanpur District Panchayat.
The revelation has sparked a wave of outrage on social media, with many users questioning how such a dramatic reduction could occur without higher administrative oversight. Memes, posts, and hashtags targeting the officer and the Madhya Pradesh administration have flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
Despite the growing controversy, the Madhya Pradesh government has not yet announced any formal inquiry or review into the case. However, senior bureaucrats, speaking on condition of anonymity, have suggested that the matter may soon attract the attention of the State Vigilance Department or Lokayukta, given the magnitude of the alleged discrepancy.
Civil society groups and RTI activists have also written to the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, demanding that the decision be revisited to ensure transparency and prevent what they describe as “erosion of public trust in governance.”
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Ex-PM Devegowda warns opposition of electoral losses if they continue to allege 'vote chori'
New Delhi (PTI): Former Prime Minister H D Devegowda on Monday said the Opposition parties would "suffer" if they continue to raise allegations of "vote chori" and create suspicion in the minds of voters by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Participating in a discussion on election reforms in the Rajya Sabha, he criticised the Opposition for making a mockery about the Prime Minister "in the streets and on the public platform".
"This (India) is a very big country. A large country. Congress may be in three states. Remember my friends please, by using the words 'vote chori' you are going to suffer in the coming days. You are not going to win the battle," Devegowda said, referring to the Opposition members.
He asked what the Opposition is going to earn by "blaming Narendra Modi's leadership and creating a suspicion in the mind of the voters" through the claims of "vote chori".
"What has happened to their minds? Let them rectify," Devegowda said.
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The former prime minister said that during his over seven decades of public life, he has never raised such issues of vote theft despite facing defeat in elections.
He also cited a letter written by the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding inclusion of "18,000 votes" (voters) in Kerala.
"Why I am telling this (because) during the Nehru period also, there were certain lapses in the electoral system," said Devegowda, who was the prime minister between June 1, 1996 and April 21, 1997.
He said that the Congress party faced defeat in the recent Bihar elections despite raising the issues of mistakes in the electoral rolls.
"What happened after that even after so much review (of voters list). Think (for) yourself! You got six MLAs," the senior Janata Dal (Secular) leader said.
Devegowda questioned the Opposition as to why they want to make allegations against the prime minister on the issue of the voters list?
"Election Commission is there. Supreme Court is there. The Election Commission has given direction to all the state units to rectify all these things," he said.
Devegowda said people of the country have full confidence in Narendra Modi's government and it will come back to power after the next Lok Sabha elections as well.
K R Suresh Reddy, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party's Rajya Sabha member from Telangana, said that electoral reforms are the backbone for a healthy democracy.
He said a large and diverse nation like Indi needs clean electoral rolls.
Asserting that strict re-verification should not become a mechanism for exclusion, Reddy said no eligible voter should lose their right to vote simply because accessing paperwork is difficult.
He said while the concern definitely is on the voters' exclusion, "we should also be equally concerned about the percentage of voting."
"What is happening in voting today? Once the election ends, the drama begins. The biggest challenge that the Indian democracy has been facing in spite of two major Constitutional amendments has been the anti-defection. Anti-defection is the name of the game today, especially in smaller states, especially where the legislatures are small in number," Reddy said.
The senior BRS leader suggested creation of a parliamentary committee "which would constantly look into the defection" and "ways and means to cutting that".
AIADMK's M Thambidurai raised the issues related to election campaigning.
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"Election campaigns are one of the important election processes. In that, political parties must be given the proper chance to campaign," he said and cited problems faced by his party in Tamil Nadu in this regard.
Thambidurai said political parties were facing hardships in Tamil Nadu to conduct public meetings and to express their views to the public.
YSRCP's Yerram Venkata Subba Reddy stressed on bringing electoral reforms at both the state and national levels.
He also suggested replacing Electronic Voting Machines with paper ballots in all future elections.
"EVM may be efficient but can't be trusted. Paper ballot may not be efficient but can be trusted. You need trust in democracy," Reddy added.
