New Delhi: In a rare development in India’s politico-bureaucratic landscape, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has relieved four members of Union Minister Bhupender Yadav‘s personal staff through separate orders issued on July 3, 2026. While three such orders had earlier come to light, it has now emerged that a fourth official, Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Siddharth Yadav, was also removed from his post on the same day.
The back-to-back orders, copies of which were marked to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Cabinet Secretariat and other authorities, have triggered widespread speculation within bureaucratic circles. However, neither the Ministry nor the government has officially disclosed the reasons behind the simultaneous removal of the four officials.
Fourth Order Reveals Removal of Assistant Private Secretary Siddharth Yadav
The latest order, issued pursuant to the Department of Personnel and Training’s Office Memorandum No. 23/1/2024-EO(MM-I) dated July 3, 2026, states that the appointment of Siddharth Yadav as Assistant Private Secretary to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav has been terminated with immediate effect.
The order reads:
“With the approval of the Competent Authority, the appointment of Shri Siddharth Yadav as Assistant Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change is terminated with immediate effect. Shri Siddharth Yadav is relieved of his duties immediately.”
The termination order was issued on July 3, 2026, bringing an abrupt end to his tenure in the Minister’s personal office.
Who is Siddharth Yadav?
Siddharth Yadav was officially appointed as Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to Union Minister Bhupender Yadav on June 11, 2024. He served under Pay Level-8 of the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC).
As Assistant Private Secretary, he was responsible for managing ministerial files, coordinating official schedules and meetings, handling parliamentary affairs, facilitating communication within the Minister’s office and assisting in the day-to-day administrative functioning of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
His appointment has now been terminated through the latest DoPT-backed order.
Earlier Three Officials Also Relieved
The revelation regarding Siddharth Yadav comes after three separate office orders issued on July 3, 2026, removed three other senior members of the Minister’s personal staff.
The officials include:
Amar Singh Repatriated
Amar Singh, an IRS (Income Tax) officer of the 2010 batch, who had been serving as Private Secretary to Bhupender Yadav, has been repatriated to his parent cadre—the Department of Revenue—on administrative grounds.
Amar Singh had been associated with the Minister since 2021 when Bhupender Yadav held the Labour and Employment portfolio. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he continued as Private Secretary when Yadav assumed charge of the Environment Ministry.
He had originally been appointed for a tenure extending until September 7, 2026, subject to the usual service conditions. However, his tenure has now ended prematurely following the latest order.
Shailesh Kumar Singh Sent Back to Parent Cadre
Another order directed the premature repatriation of Shailesh Kumar Singh, a Central Secretariat Service (CSS)officer serving as Additional Private Secretary, to his parent cadre—the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The order also granted him an extended cooling-off period and instructed him to report immediately to his parent department.
Ayush Saran’s Appointment Terminated
In a separate order, the appointment of Ayush Saran, who was also serving as Additional Private Secretary, was terminated with immediate effect.
The order specifically mentioned that the action had been taken with the approval of the Competent Authority pursuant to a DoPT Office Memorandum dated July 2, 2026.
Four Officials Relieved on the Same Day
With the latest revelation, the total number of officials relieved from Union Minister Bhupender Yadav’s office now stands at four:
- Amar Singh (IRS-IT:2010) – Private Secretary (Repatriated to Department of Revenue on administrative grounds)
- Shailesh Kumar Singh (CSS) – Additional Private Secretary (Prematurely repatriated to DoPT)
- Ayush Saran – Additional Private Secretary (Appointment terminated)
- Siddharth Yadav – Assistant Private Secretary (Appointment terminated)
The simultaneous removal of four members of a Union Minister’s personal staff through separate orders is considered highly unusual in the normal functioning of the central government.
Orders Marked to PMO
According to the official orders, copies were forwarded to several key government offices, including the:
- Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
- Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT)
- Cabinet Secretariat
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
- Other concerned authorities
The circulation of the orders to the PMO and other senior offices has further fuelled discussions within bureaucratic circles.
No Official Reason Yet
Despite the unusual nature of the simultaneous removals, no official explanation has been provided by either the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change or the Department of Personnel and Training.
While Amar Singh’s repatriation order mentions “administrative grounds”, the orders concerning Ayush Saran and Siddharth Yadav simply state that their appointments have been terminated with immediate effect. Similarly, Shailesh Kumar Singh has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre.
The government has not linked the four actions to any common reason, and no official statement has been issued clarifying the circumstances behind the decisions.
Until such clarification is provided, the reasons behind this rare bureaucratic development remain officially undisclosed.
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