Panchkula: The Haryana government failed to file a response to a petition seeking the transfer of an alleged fraudulent recruitment case against retired IAS officer Ashok Khemka to a higher court. The case, which involves allegations of irregularities in appointments at the Haryana Warehousing Corporation, has raised questions about procedural lapses and the role of investigating authorities.
Panchkula Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Arpana Bhardwaj noted that the state government did not respond to the petition. With no valid reason provided for the delay or request for additional time, the court closed the opportunity for a response. The next hearing is scheduled for 30 May 2026.
Background of the Recruitment Case
The case pertains to the recruitment of 25 employees, including two manager-rank officers, at the Haryana Warehousing Corporation during the Hooda government in 2009–10, when Khemka served as Managing Director (MD).
An internal departmental investigation by the screening committee found that these appointments violated existing rules. While only one officer was required, two were appointed, raising suspicions of irregularities.
Succeeding MD Sanjeev Verma reported the irregularities to then Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal and Additional Chief Secretary of the Agriculture Department, Sumita Mishra. Verma recommended filing a charge sheet against Khemka and suspending the two officers responsible for the appointments.
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Protection Petition Filed
Advocate Ravinder Kumar, who had earlier filed an FIR in this matter on 26 April 2022, submitted a protection petition alleging procedural errors by the police. He claimed that the police registered the case without obtaining prior permission under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, making the FIR invalid.
The petition also highlighted contradictions in the police closure report, which cited Section 17A of the PC Act, 1988, but omitted details regarding other accused employees whose appointments were similarly irregular.
Key Allegations in the Petition
FIR Filed on April 26, 2022:
The petition notes that several illegal appointments were made to the post of Manager Grade-1 in 2010, violating the 2009 recruitment advertisement.
Questions About Police Closure Report:
The petitioner argues that the Sector-5 police post in Panchkula, which investigated the case, failed to properly obtain approval under Section 17A and filed an Untraced Closure Report (UCR). The hearing for this closure report was scheduled for 17 November 2025.
Ignored Letter from Interview Committee:
The petition alleges deliberate inaction by Panchkula ACP Vijay Nehra, the then investigating officer, despite a letter from interview committee chairman IAS Roshan Lal on 12 May 2022, calling the appointments “incorrect.”
Contradictions in Closure Report:
The closure report reportedly contains inconsistencies, addressing Section 17A for some accused but remaining silent for others, including those approved by the MD of HSWC.
Jurisdictional Errors:
The petition states that the case was filed in the LD CJM Court, which lacks jurisdiction over cases under the PC Act, 1988, and Section 420 of the IPC. Such cases should be heard by a special court headed by an Additional Sessions Judge.
Irregular Court Hearings:
The Deputy CJM in Panchkula allegedly conducted hearings for over five months, recording statements from individuals who were not authorized complainants under the law.
Alleged Influence of Khemka’s Relative:
The petition claims that an IAS relative of Khemka pressured an officer under his command, potentially misleading the court through false statements.
Next Steps
The court has scheduled the next hearing for 30 May 2026 to consider the petition for transferring the case to the appropriate higher court. Meanwhile, questions remain over procedural lapses, jurisdictional issues, and the alleged influence of Khemka’s relatives in the ongoing investigation.
