Gujarat: CM suspends officer who alleged corruption in Yatradham projects

When contacted, Patel said that he has no official communication of his suspension. “The government has a right to suspend. I have no other choice but to accept it. I will not challenge it. For me, the suspension is not a punishment.”
“I know being a government employee I expressed my pain more than what was required. But I have not named any official in the conversation. I will seek response to all the requests I have made as the state government has not replied to any.”

A government release stated that the CM took cognisance of the complaint of the private person filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau with reference to the transcript of his telephonic conversation with Patel. The conversation mentioned alleged corruption in several projects in Pavagadh, Rameshwar, Bahucharaji, Shabridham and Dwarka.
Patel has been transferred to Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA), Rajkot with immediate effect from his existing posting of Additional Secretary Rural development department where he was posted since 2016. The CM also ordered to make all necessary arrangements to monitor Patel’s attendance regularly.

The government release said that the officer’s conduct was violative of the Rule 9 and 10 of Gujarat State Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1971. The rule 9 states, “No Government servant shall in any radio broadcast or in any document published in his own name, or anonymously, pseudonymously, or in the name of any other person, or in any communication to the press, or in public utterance, make any statement of facts or opinion – (i) which has the effect of an adverse criticism of any current or recent policy, or action of the Central Government, or of State Government.”

Rule 10 states ‘Provided that no Government servant shall, except in accordance with any general or special order of the Government or in performance in good faith of the duties assigned to him, communicate, directly or indirectly, any official document or any part thereof or classified information to any Government servant or any other person to whom he is not authorised to communicate such document or classified information.”

The issue came to light after an audio conversation between Patel and an RTI activist went viral on social media platforms. In the clip, Anil was purportedly heard admitting to large-scale corruption in the board where he was posted for more than ten years from 2005 to 2016.