Ashok Khemka

2022-05-25T10:01:53Z

2405:204:A49F:D571:B748:2770:862F:7CAA:

{{Short description|Indian Administrative Service Officer (IAS)}}{{Multiple issues|
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{{Use Indian English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ashok Khemka
| honorific_suffix =
| image = Ashok Khemka - Kolkata 2016-10-07 8206.JPG
| caption =
| known_for = [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]] officer who cancelled the mutation of [[Robert Vadra]] -[[DLF Limited|DLF]] land deal.
| education = [[B.Tech]] in Computer Science and Engineering
[[Ph.D]] in Computer Science

[[MBA]] in Business Administration and Finance

[[Master of Arts]] in Economics
[[LL.B.]]
| alma_mater = [[IIT Kharagpur]] <br> [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]], [[Mumbai]] <br> [[Indira Gandhi National Open University]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|4|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kolkata]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| nationality = Indian
| occupation = [[Bureaucrat]]
| employer = [[Government of India]]
| organization = [[Indian Administrative Service]]
| years_active = 1993–present
| awards = S R Jindal Prize in 2011 for "Crusade against Corruption"
}}
'''Ashok Khemka''' (अशोक खेमका) is an Indian civil service bureaucrat. He is an [[Indian Administrative Service]] officer of 1991 batch. He is best known for cancelling the mutation of [[Sonia Gandhi]]'s son-in-law [[Robert Vadra]]'s illegal land deal in [[Gurgaon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/Officer-with-impeccable-integrity-media-s-delight/SP-Article1-945814.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017102758/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Punjab/Chandigarh/Officer-with-impeccable-integrity-media-s-delight/SP-Article1-945814.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 October 2012 |title=Officer with impeccable integrity|publisher=Hindustan Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= Reward for honesty: Mental Torture, Mental Trauma, Mental Agony, Insult and Humiliation.|url=http://u-said-it-right.blogspot.in/2013/11/ashok-khemka-victim-of-political.html|publisher=U Said It ! Third Perspective by Civil Society|date=15 November 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ashok Khemka's Crime? Durga Shakti's Crime? Honesty !!|url=http://indiaopines.com/ashok-khemka-crime-durga-shaktis-crime-honesty/|publisher=India Opines|access-date=16 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216080515/http://indiaopines.com/ashok-khemka-crime-durga-shaktis-crime-honesty/|archive-date=16 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>
As of October 2021, he has been transferred 54 times in 29 years by state governments after he exposed [[corruption]] in the departments he was posted in.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ashok-khemka-transfer-52nd-time-haryana-1469613-2019-03-03|title=IAS officer Ashok Khemka transferred for 52nd time in 27-year career}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.spiegel.de/karriere/ausland/ashok-khemka-in-indien-unbequemer-beamter-45-mal-versetzt-a-1026822.html|title= Unbequemer Beamter - Von dauernder Versetzung gefährdet |newspaper=[[Der Spiegel]]|date=15 April 2015}}</ref> He is a [[whistleblower]] of several scams that took place under [[Bhupinder Hooda]]'s regime, including the [[Robert Vadra DLF land grab scam]], [[Sonepat-Kharkhoda IMT land scam case]] and [[Garhi Sampla Uddar Gagan land scam]].
Ashok Khemka is Haryana's second-most transferred bureaucrat, after another retired IAS officer<ref>elevated from [[Haryana Civil Service]]</ref> Pradeep Kasni, who had been transferred 71 times in 35 years.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://timesofindia.com/city/chandigarh/kasni-retires-today-after-71-transfers-in-35-years/articleshow/63102124.cms
|title=kasni retires today after 71 transfers in 35 years
|access-date=22 February 2020
|website= timesofindia.com
|publisher=Times Of India
|date=28 February 2018}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Ashok Khemka was born in Kolkata, [[India]]. He was born in a lower middle class family. His father was a clerk in a jute family. He graduated from the [[Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur]] in 1988 with a B.Tech degree in [[Computer Science Engineering]] and followed it up with a [[Philosophy of Doctorate|Ph.D]] in [[Computer Science]] from the [[Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]], Mumbai<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Who-is-Ashok-Khemka/Article1-945730.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018172617/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Who-is-Ashok-Khemka/Article1-945730.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Who is Ashok Khemka, Whistleblower Khemka shifted 40 times in 21 years|publisher=Hindustan Times Portal|date=16 October 2012}}</ref> and an [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]] degree in Business Administration and Finance. Thereafter, he gave his [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]] exams and got selected in the Haryana cadre. He also holds an MA Economics degree from [[IGNOU]].

He is currently a degree candidate for [[Bachelor of Laws]] at [[Punjab University]].

==Career==
Khemka belongs to the 1991 batch [[Indian Administrative Service|IAS]] of the Haryana Cadre.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Who-is-Ashok-Khemka/Article1-945730.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018172617/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/Who-is-Ashok-Khemka/Article1-945730.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2012|title=Whistleblower Khemka shifted 40 times in 21 years|newspaper=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref> He has been repeatedly transferred by various state governments in his home cadre of Haryana after he exposed corruption in the departments he was posted in.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/time-to-check-the-khemka-syndrome/article4782066.ece|title=Time to check the Khemka syndrome |newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/i-am-not-a-quitter-will-stay-in-the-system-ashok-khemka-352878|title=I am not a quitter, will stay in the system: Ashok Khemka|newspaper=[[NDTV]]|access-date= 11 April 2013|date=11 April 2013}}</ref>

Khemka was posted as Secretary to the Govt. of [[Haryana]], Department of Archives and Archaeology on 4 April 2013.<ref name=TR>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/ias-officer-ashok-khemka-transferred-again/article4580639.ece |title=Khemka shifted again as he exposes seedy deal|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> He was also given the charge of DG Archives and Archaeology on 26 April 2013.<ref name=ERG>{{cite web|title=Executive Record of Ashok Khemka|url=http://persmin.nic.in/ersheet/MultipleERS.asp?HiddenStr=01HY020600|publisher=GOI|access-date=19 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019191841/http://persmin.nic.in/ersheet/MultipleERS.asp?HiddenStr=01HY020600|archive-date=19 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> This was his 45th posting in his 20-year career excluding his 2 year training period.<ref name=ERG /> In the previous month, he had exposed a deal that he thought to be untoward and had requested an inquiry by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]]. The government of Haryana refused this{{clarify|reason=CBI is a national body - I do not understand why the govt of Haryana had a say in the matter|date=August 2013}} and Bhiwani-based [[NGO]] filed [[Public-interest litigation (India)|PIL]] on the same scam.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}On 18 October 2013, [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]] had registered a preliminary enquiry into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of wheat seeds in [[Haryana Seeds Development Corporation|HSDC]] seeking registration of a case against officials of National Cooperative Consumers Federation and National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation for selling seeds at inflated prices to [[Haryana Seeds Development Corporation|HSDC]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/cbi-begins-inquiry-into-ashok-khemkas-complaint/articleshow/24362108.cms|title=CBI begins inquiry into Ashok Khemka's complaint|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date= 19 October 2013|date=19 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsx.com/national/top-stories/itemlist/tag/Haryana%20Seed%20Development%20Corporation|title=CBI begins inquiry into Khemka's complaint on seed supply|newspaper=NewsX|access-date=18 October 2013|date=18 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020083850/http://www.newsx.com/national/top-stories/itemlist/tag/Haryana%20Seed%20Development%20Corporation|archive-date=20 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

"And the transfer this time was quite humiliating. At 15:30, an officer of the rank of Under Secretary of the government, at least five levels below me, appeared with an order of the Principal Secretary of the Agriculture, appointing him as the MD of the Corporation and asked me to step down," Khemka told news channels.<ref name=TR /> Previously Ashok Khemka was [[Managing Director]] in [[Haryana Seeds Development Corporation]].<ref name="TR" />
<br />
===Chargesheets filed against Ashok Khemka===
Two chargesheets<ref>{{cite news|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/haryana/ashok-khemka-to-be-chargesheeted-haryana-govt_879610.html|title=Haryana approves Khemka chargesheet, major penalty in offing|publisher=Zeenews|date=27 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.oneindia.in/new-delhi/sonia-gandhi-son-in-law-robert-vadra-back-khemka-chargesheeted-again-1325624.html|title=Robert Vadra back to haunt Ashok Khemka, chargesheeted again|publisher=One India Portal|date=17 October 2013}}</ref> for Khemka have been filed, one of which accuses of failing his responsibilities at the Haryana Seed Development Corporation,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/haryana-government-gives-approval-for-another-chargesheet-against-ashok-khemka/428847-37-64.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020133158/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/haryana-government-gives-approval-for-another-chargesheet-against-ashok-khemka/428847-37-64.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2013|title=Haryana govt gives the go ahead for charging Khemka in a case of seeds sales|publisher=IBN Live|date=17 October 2013}}</ref> where Khemka had found [[corruption]] and requested for [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]] inquiry. Further Khemka quoted that "I have reliably heard that 10 chargesheets will be filed against me on frivolous grounds along with 10 private complaints,".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/10-chargesheets-will-be-filed-against-me-ias-officer-ashok-khemka-to-ndtv-434205|title='10 chargesheets will be filed against me,' IAS officer Ashok Khemka to NDTV|publisher=[[NDTV]]|date=19 October 2013}}</ref> The Haryana government was accused of misusing its authority to penalise Ashok Khemka.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/24360821.cms|title=Haryana government is misusing its authority to penalise Ashok Khemka|publisher=The Economic Times|date=19 October 2013}}</ref>

=== Transfers under Khattar regime ===
The transfers continued under the [[Manohar Lal Khattar]]-led [[Bharatiya Janata Party campaign for the 2014 Indian general election|Bharatiya Janata Party]] government which [[2014 Haryana Legislative Assembly election|came to power in 2014]]. Khemka was made the transport commissioner in November 2014. But after he launched a drive against overloading and oversized goods vehicles, the truck owners went on strike. His moves to end long existing monopolies controlling private bus operations in the state by opening up private operations to Haryana's unemployed youth also provoked a strike by the state transport undertaking (STU) unions. He was transferred to the archaeology and museums department in April 2015.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailyo.in/politics/ashok-khemka-narendra-modi-haryana-ml-khattar-vinod-rai-robert-vadra-dlf/story/1/9818.html}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/20150427-ashok-khemka-bjp-emulates-congress-transport-lobby-mining-mafias-818181-2015-04-16}}</ref>

In October 2017, Khemka, as the principal secretary, department of social justice and women empowerment had a run-in with his own boss, minister Krishna Bedi over the latter allegedly misusing a department vehicle for over a year. He had also expressed objection to alleged special treatment being given to Khattar's personal staff on the eve of Diwali. In November, he was transferred as the principal secretary in the youth affairs and sports department.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ashok-khemka-transferred-51st-time-1084959-2017-11-12}}</ref> In March 2019, he was transferred, for the 52nd time, to Science and Technology Department.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/ashok-khemka-transfer-52nd-time-haryana-1469613-2019-03-03}}</ref>

===Posting detail===
As of March 2019, Khemka has been posted in 51 departments and is currently DG of Archives & Archaeology in [[Haryana state]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://persmin.nic.in/ersheet/MultipleERS.asp?HiddenStr=01HY020600|title=Complete Bio-Data Ashok Khemka|publisher=National Informatics Centre, Government of India Portal|access-date=16 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019191841/http://persmin.nic.in/ersheet/MultipleERS.asp?HiddenStr=01HY020600|archive-date=19 October 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Highlighted Land Deal corruption==
Khemka highlighted land deal corruption in Gurgaon and around for conversion of commercial land. As per the report there is corruption between {{INRConvert|20000|c|0}} to {{INRConvert|350000|c|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the-buck-stops-here/ias-officer-ashok-khemka-on-his-report-on-robert-vadra-land-deals/287016?h_also_see|title=IAS officer Ashok Khemka on his report on Robert Vadra land deals|publisher=NDTV News}}</ref> Khemka was most recently Haryana's Director-General of Land Consolidation and Land Records-cum-Inspector-General of Registration. During his 80-day stint in the department, Khemka had detected serious irregularities in land transactions involving transfer of panchayat land worth several hundred crores of rupees to newly created real estate companies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/haryana-ias-officer-probing-vadra-dlf-deal-transferred_805878.html |title=Haryana IAS officer probing Vadra-DLF deal transferred|date=16 October 2012|publisher=Zee News}}</ref> Khemka was transferred on 11 October 2012 and he took action on the matter after his transfer. He claims he has been harassed and transferred 40 times in the last 21 years for merely doing his job.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timesnow.tv/Officer-transferred-40-times-in-21-years/articleshow/4412515.cms |title=Haryana IAS officer transferred|publisher=Times of India}}</ref> As the Managing Director of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation Limited, Khemka exposed its irregularities in just five months as its head following which he was transferred on 4 April 2013 and was replaced by B. S. Duggal, a Deputy Secretary five ranks below him.<ref name=TR />

===Vadra Land Deal===
The State Government constituted an Inquiry Committee of three senior IAS officers to nail Khemka on the cancellation of Vadra's land deal in village [[Sikhohpur]] ([[Gurgaon]]). Khemka responded to the report of the Inquiry [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6do3VM4NKa_c2NqVDRMb2lVRGM&usp=sharing Committee] in his [https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B6do3VM4NKa_c2NqVDRMb2lVRGM&usp=sharing Comments] to the State Government which is divided into 8 Chapters. The specific land deal of Robert Vadra is detailed in Chapter 6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/khemka-stands-ground-over-report-against-vadra-183000076.html|title=Khemka stands his ground over report against Vadra|publisher=Yahoo with Hindustan Times News}}</ref>

[[Rao Inderjit Singh]], a member of the [[Lok Sabha]] from Gurgaon has said that a detailed inquiry must be conducted to "substantiate or refute" the charges against Robert Vadra, whose business deals with real estate major [[DLF Limited|DLF]] have been questioned by Ashok Khemka. He said that Mr Vadra's land dealings should be part of a larger investigation into alleged irregular practices in the governments appropriation and sale of nearly 1200 acres.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/robert-vadra-s-land-deal-must-be-probed-congress-mp-from-haryana-404602?pfrom=home-lateststories |title=Robert Vadra's land deal must be probed: Congress MP from Haryana|publisher=NDTV}}</ref>

<br />

=== Death threat ===
After raising concerns over the illegal land acquisition of Robert Vadra (Priyanka Gandhi's husband) Khemka alleged that he had received death threats. He had raised a red flag over suspicious land deals between Congress president [[Sonia Gandhi]]'s son-in-law Robert Vadra.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/whistleblower-ashok-khemka-sonia-gandhi-robert-vadra-dlf/1/227141.html|title=Whistleblower Ashok Khemka gets fresh death threats, FIR lodged|publisher=[[India Today]]}}</ref>

== Awards ==
He was awarded the S.R. Jindal Prize in 2011 for "Crusade against Corruption" with a cash prize of ₹10 Lakhs along with [[Sanjiv Chaturvedi]] for his efforts in exposing corruption in high places. He also received the Manjunath Shanmugam Trust Commendation on Public Works in 2009.<ref name=ERG />

==See also ==
* [[Vijay Shankar Pandey]], whistle blower IAS
* [[Anil Swarup]], IAS
* [[Sanjiv Chaturvedi]], whistle blower IFoS

==References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.twitter.com/AshokKhemka_IAS Official Twitter]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khemka, Ashok}}
[[Category:1965 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian Administrative Service officers]]
[[Category:Indian government officials]]
[[Category:IIT Kharagpur alumni]]
[[Category:Tata Institute of Fundamental Research alumni]]
[[Category:Indira Gandhi National Open University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Kolkata]]

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Ashok Khemka