Why suspension of 2 IAS officers in Punjab is just a continuing pattern under AAP

The suspension orders came when the state government was caught off guard in the Punjab and Haryana High Court when a mobile phone vendor approached the court alleging that the company was earlier given the work order to supply about 28,000 4G phones. Later, the work order was cancelled as the government decided to provide 5G phones. The vendor then moved court.

Government sources that tempers flared among the top AAP leadership when it was reported that no government representative was in the court to defend the case. This led to the suspension of the two officers from a department responsible for the procurement of phones.

Several such cases in the last few years

This, however, is not an isolated case. In February 2025, the state government had suspended the then deputy commissioner of Muktsar, Rajesh Tripathi. The government stated that it had received serious complaints of corruption against Tripathi, after which a thorough inquiry was conducted against him.

In August 2023, senior IAS officers D K Tiwari and Gurpreet Singh Khaira were suspended for making a “technically flawed” decision regarding the dissolution of panchayats. Tiwari was then the administrative secretary of rural development and panchayats. Khaira was the director then. The panchayats were dissolved six months before completing the tenure. At that time, the government wanted to postpone the panchayat elections. Later, the duo were reinstated.

In January 2023, IAS officer Neelima was booked by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in an alleged corruption case regarding the irregular transfer of an industrial plot. She was suspended. After registration of the case, the IAS officers’ association launched a protest, which was curbed by the AAP leadership. She later obtained bail and rejoined duty.

Resignations galore in November last year

In recent months, many Punjab government officers have faced suspension or tendered their resignations. In November 2025, the suspension of Harish Kumar, chief engineer of Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Power Plant, Ropar Thermal Plant of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), hit headlines.

The services of Harjit Singh, director, generation, PSPCL, were terminated a few days later, on November 4, 2025. The state power engineers’ association opposed his unceremonious exit, as Harjit Singh was known for his knowledge in the power sector.

On November 5, 2025, the resignation tendered by Ravi Chawla, the technical advisor to the Punjab government, raised many eyebrows in the power corridors. His resignation was accepted on a gazetted holiday, and the relieving orders were issued on a non-workday. Chawla was credited with saving more than Rs 500 crore of the state government in his 14-month tenure.

Later, Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officer Charumita, the then additional deputy commissioner of Moga, was suspended on November 7, 2025, for alleged irregularities in a Rs 3.7 crore land acquisition case for a highway project.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) also acted against Punjab officials. The ECI ordered the immediate suspension of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Tarn Taran, Ravjot Kaur Grewal, on November 8, 2025, on the complaint of the Shiromani Akali Dal. Grewal was heading the poll-bound district of Tarn Taran since September 2025, and was accused of bias and misuse of police authority during the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.

On November 15, 2025, the Punjab government ordered the suspension of Amritsar (Rural) SSP Maninder Singh, 2019-batch IPS, for his alleged failure in taking strict action against gangsters. As per reports, during his nine-month tenure as SSP, Amritsar Rural, he led around a dozen police encounters resulting in the death of one and injuries to 12 others.