Saturday, April 4, 2026
Facebook Instagram Twitter
Home Blog Page 108

Former TN bureaucrat moves High Court for police security

By
LO Bureau
-
U Sagayam IAS

In a bizarre incident, a former IAS officer from Tamil Nadu, U. Sagayam, has moved the Madras High Court for police security. He has filed a writ petition for it, saying he faces a threat from the granite mining mafia. Sagayam argues in his petition that he is unable to depose before the trial court without security, as he continues to face threats from the mafia. Sagayam had been provided police security in 2014, but it was later withdrawn.

The High Court has directed the state DGP to file his response by November 24.

In his petition, the bureaucrat claims that he antagonised the granite mafia after disclosing large scale irregularities in granite mining in the Madurai district with an estimated loss of around 16000 crores to the public exchequer when he was a collector there in 2012.

According to the affidavit he has filed in the court, the High Court had appointed him as a Special Officer in that case way back in 2014 for inspecting mining operations across the state and was thus provided with an armed security guard on the basis of a court direction. But his report unearthing large-scale irregularities opened a Pandora’s box of issues with the mafia baying for his blood.

He and his family members started getting threats and intimidation from the mafia, on the basis of which he got two FIRs registered in 2015. The High Court restored his police security, but it was withdrawn in November 2020. The court intervened to restore security to him. But the gunman was withdrawn on May 26, 2023, again.

Mallika Srinivasan gets second extension as PESB Chairperson

By
LO Bureau
-
Mallika Srinivasan

In a significant development, the central government on Thursday (November 13, 2925) approved a second consecutive one-year extension for Mallika Srinivasan, Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB), the apex government body tasked with selecting top executives for India’s Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

According to the official order, the extension will take effect from November 19, 2025, enabling Ms. Srinivasan to continue leading the PSU head-hunter until November 18, 2026.

Mallika Srinivasan, who also serves as Chairperson and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd (TAFE), made history in April 2021 when she became the first private-sector specialist to head the PESB. She succeeded Rajeev Kumar (Retd. IAS: 1984: JH), with an initial term of three years or until she attained the age of 65, whichever was earlier. Her first extension was granted in November 2024, extending her tenure till November 18, 2025.

Jharkhand revokes suspension of IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan after SC bail in land scam case

By
LO Bureau
-
Chhavi Ranjan IAS

In a significant development, the Jharkhand government has revoked the suspension of IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan (IAS:2011:JH) with effect from October 14, 2025, the day he was released from jail following bail granted by the Supreme Court in a money laundering case related to a land scam.

Ranjan, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 4, 2023, had been in judicial custody for over 29 months. The decision to lift his suspension came after he formally requested the state government to review his case.

Officials indicated that Ranjan is likely to be assigned a new posting soon. The Supreme Court had on October 10 granted him conditional bail, directing that he must not influence witnesses and cannot leave Jharkhand without prior permission from the trial court. He has also been ordered to appear personally on all hearing dates.

Before his arrest, Ranjan served as Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi and was later posted in the Department of Social Welfare. The case against him pertains to the alleged fraudulent purchase and sale of land in Bariatu, under the Bargai circle of Ranchi, reportedly under the possession of the Indian Army.

Ranjan held charge as Ranchi Deputy Commissioner from July 15, 2020, to July 11, 2022, during which the alleged irregularities are said to have taken place.

Bihar Bureaucracy Calm; Expects Nitish’s Return- Will It Hold True on Nov 14?

By
LO Bureau
-
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

As Bihar awaits the results of the Assembly elections scheduled to be counted on November 14, 2025, a distinct sense of calm prevails across the state bureaucracy. Officers appear confident that the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government will retain power, paving the way for Kumar to be sworn in as Chief Minister for the tenth time.

Nitish Kumar has been at the helm of Bihar since November 2005, barring a brief nine-month interlude in 2014–2015 when Jitan Ram Manjhi held the top post. Over the years, the state’s bureaucratic machinery has been fine-tuned to align seamlessly with Nitish Kumar’s governance style and administrative expectations.

Such deep institutional alignment has created a system so accustomed to his leadership that even the mere thought of a change at the top unsettles the administrative setup built over the past two decades. This underlying stability or complacency, as some may call it, reflects an implicit assumption within the bureaucracy that the political order will remain unchanged after counting day.

However, this calm wasn’t always visible. Earlier, murmurs about the Chief Minister’s health, his perceived loss of charisma, and speculation over the government’s performance had momentarily shaken bureaucratic confidence. But as the election campaign progressed, Nitish Kumar’s renewed political assertiveness and strategic outreach helped shift the narrative in his favour.

Bihar recorded a “historic high” voter turnout of 66.91%, the highest since 1951, leaving everyone, including bureaucrats, guessing where the support might have gone. When ECI data revealed that women voters led the participation surge with a turnout of 71.6%, outpacing men by nearly nine percentage points — the widest-ever gap recorded in the state — it strengthened the belief that women played a decisive role in this election.

While the final verdict will be known only on November 14, those close to the corridors of power in Patna maintain that this surge in women’s participation is likely to work in Nitish Kumar’s favour, further reinforcing the bureaucracy’s quiet confidence in the continuity of his leadership.

 Kerala IAS N Prasanth’s suspension extended after venting ire against CS on ‘suspension anniversary’

By
LO Bureau
-
N Prasanth, IAS

Suspended Kerala IAS officer N Prasanth’s woes continue unabated thanks to his bizarre fascination for stoking controversies by targeting seniors through social media posts. As a consequence, in the latest development, his suspension has been extended for another six months.

Prasanth’s problem emanates from his evident desire to be always on the lookout for an opportunity to strike his punches. This time the completion of one year of his suspension offered him an opportunity to strike. So, Prasanth decided to mark the anniversary of his suspension to renew his accusations against seniors, particularly Chief Secretary A Jayathilak and former Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan. In his caustic Facebook post on Tuesday, Prasanth goes on to level charges of large-scale corruption and administrative misconduct against Jayathilak and Muralidhararan.

It should be recalled here that Prasanth invited punitive action in the form of suspension a year back, all due to his damaging remarks about the duo on his social media account. Now, a year later, he reiterates the same by claiming that he was suspended due to a Facebook post quoting the film Manichitrathazhu — “Madampalliyile manorogi”, which he describes as a harmless idiomatic expression. He says these officials misunderstood it due to their utter lack of understanding of the basic Malayalam culture. Prasanth further claims that there were no complaints against him, nor did he violate any rules of the platform, yet he was suspended. If he is to be believed, the real reason behind his suspension was his exposure of corruption involving senior IAS officers, including this duo.

In his earlier posts, Prasanth had accused Jayathilak of absenteeism basing his accusation on RTI-based records that allegedly showed Jayathilak being absent from duty for nearly 25 days a month for nearly two years. He does not stop and cite a tree-felling case in Wayanad, alleging that due to Jayathilak’s controversial order, the state incurred losses of over Rs 12 crore in valuable timber.

Prasanth continues his barb and picks corruption complaints in the PM-AJAY scheme. He alleges that during Jayathilak’s tenure as chairman of the Spices Board, a large scale of irregularities took place, prompting the CBI to reportedly recommend an FIR against Jayathilak, who later became Chief Secretary and closed the very cases against himself.

Puneet Bijaraniya appointed Deputy Secretary in Central Vigilance Commission

By
LO Bureau
-
Central Vigilance Commission

In a key bureaucratic development, Puneet Bijaraniya (IPoS:2013), who was recommended for central deputation by the Department of Posts, has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (November 12, 2025), Mr Bijaraniya will serve in the post for a period of four years from the date of assuming charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

NCTE Member Secretary Abhilasha Jha Mishra repatriated to parent cadre

By
LO Bureau
-
National Council for Teacher Education

Abhilasha Jha Mishra (IRAS:2000), presently serving as Member Secretary (JS level) in the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) under the Department of Education & Literacy, has been prematurely repatriated to her parent cadre.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (November 12, 2025), the competent authority approved her repatriation on personal grounds, along with an extended cooling-off condition.

Notably, Ms Jha was appointed to the NCTE as Member Secretary on October 24, 2024, for a period of four years. However, after serving for nearly a year, she has now been sent back to her parent cadre ahead of schedule.

PESB recommends Awadh Kishor Pandey for Director (Technical/Projects & Planning), MCL

By
LO Bureau
-
Mahanadi Coalfields Limited

The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Awadh Kishor Pandey for the post of Director (Technical/Projects & Planning), Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL). The selection was made following the PESB interview held on November 11, 2025.

Mr. Pandey is currently serving as General Manager, Lakhanpur Area, MCL. His name will now be sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval, subject to the necessary vigilance clearances.

A total of 9 candidates were interviewed by the PESB for the post. The list included:

  1. Suman Saurabh, General Manager, CMC, Northern Coalfields Limited
  2. Rajendra Verma, General Manager, Nigahi Area, Northern Coalfields Limited
  3. Ranjay Sinha, General Manager, Dhori Area, Central Coalfields Limited
  4. Anand, Executive Director(Mining/Production), Coal India Limited
  5. Awadh Kishor Pandey, General Manager, Lakhanpur Area, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited
  6. Shreekanta SH Roy, General Manager (Mining), Coal India Limited
  7. Satyajeet Ojha, General Manager, Mahalaxmi Area, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited
  8. Binod Kumar Gupta, Executive Director (Mining)/HCL Corporate Office, Kolkata, Hindustan Copper Limited
  9. Abhay B Bhagat, Chief General Manager, NLC India Limited

Two officers appointed to senior roles in TRIFED

By
LO Bureau
-
TRIFED

In a key administrative development, two officers have been appointed to senior positions in the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

According to orders issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (November 12, 2025), Vikas Raizada (IOFS:2012) has been appointed as Deputy General Manager, TRIFED, at Chandigarh (UT-North). The competent authority approved his appointment to the post (Non-CSS post) for a combined tenure of four years, i.e., up to November 5, 2026, taking into account his ex-cadre deputation and Non-CSS deputation periods combined, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

In a separate order, Monika (ISS:2015) has been appointed as Senior Manager, TRIFED, at Jaipur (Rajasthan Region). She will serve on deputation basis under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (Non-CSS post) for a period of four years from the date of assuming charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

R&AW Chief Parag Jain given additional charge of Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat

By
LO Bureau
-
Parag Jain IPS

In a key development, Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) Chief Parag Jain (IPS:1989:PB) has been entrusted with the additional charge of Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, a crucial post overseeing the country’s top-level security apparatus.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (November 12, 2025), the competent authority approved the assignment of additional charge to Mr. Jain with immediate effect, until the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

The post of Secretary (Security) has remained without a full-time incumbent since the retirement of Harinath Mishra (IPS:1990:KL) on July 31, 2025. Notably, the Centre had earlier appointed RA Chandra Sekhar (IPS:1991:KL), Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, as Mishra’s successor. However, before he could assume office, Chandra Sekhar was appointed as Director General of Police (DGP), Kerala, and subsequently repatriated to his cadre to take charge of the state police force.

Following Mishra’s retirement, Manoj Govil (IAS:1991:MP), Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat, had been holding additional charge of the post.

The Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat, serves as the administrative head of the Special Protection Group (SPG)—the elite force responsible for providing security to the Prime Minister and his immediate family residing with him at the official residence.

1...107108109...1,849Page 108 of 1,849

Latest News

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

© legendofficers.com
Google Preferred Icon Sticky
Google
WhatsApp Icon Join Us on WhatsApp