Thiruvananthapuram: The suspension story of IAS officer N. Prasanth (2007 batch) has taken a different turn following revelations obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The documents show that a high level committee had originally recommended the lifting of his suspension, but, it appears the order was rescinded under the influence of Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak.
Panel Led by Former Chief Secretary Cleared Officer
On April 23, 2025, a Suspension Review Committee containing former Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Bishwanath Sinha and Additional Chief Secretary (Public Administration) K.R. Jyothilal met to discuss the charges against Prasanth. The minutes of the meeting, obtained under RTI, recorded that Prasanth had offered a satisfactory explanation and the committee recommended to revoke his suspension unanimously.
Chief Secretary Jayathilak Allegedly Intervenes
After Sarada Muraleedharan retired, A. Jayathilak assumed the role of Chief Secretary. During Jayathilak’s time as the Chief Secretary, the review process was said to have changed. Although Prasanth made allegations against Jayathilak personally and accused him of “administrative overreach” and inappropriate conduct, Jayathilak remained involved in Prasanth’s suspension review.
Jayathilak was also replaced by Rajan Khobragade, the Additional Chief Secretary, when the review began to avoid a conflict of interest in the process, but on May 3, Jayathilak put out a note stating that it was not necessary to name a replacement and directed that a two-member committee, with Jayathilak not among them, be formed. The two-member committee, in its reconstituted form, met on May 7, and ultimately the committee decided to extend Prasanth’s suspension for 180 days.
Questions Over Procedure and Rule Compliance
IAS officer Prasanth has strongly objected to the revised process, citing violations of All India Service (Discipline & Appeal) Rules. He argued that the absence of the Chief Secretary should have resulted in the senior-most Additional Chief Secretary heading the review panel, rather than a two-member substitute panel. This, he claims, is a breach of due process and reflects procedural manipulation.
Background to the Controversy
Prasanth’s suspension was initiated after he made controversial remarks on social media, criticizing Jayathilak and accusing him of damaging careers of subordinate officers. His post, which described the Chief Secretary as “mentally unstable” and a “psychopath,” was considered gross misconduct.
These comments were made while Jayathilak had filed an internal report against Prasanth regarding the ‘Unnathi’ initiative, a state project under the review of the Chief Minister’s Office. The suspension initially aimed to address these allegations of indiscipline and misconduct.
Bureaucratic Accountability Under Scrutiny
The ongoing developments have also sparked further concerns regarding procedural fairness, internal governance, and bureaucratic transparency. As the situation develops and becomes increasingly public, there may be contributions from legal experts and civil service agencies on how to best interpret deputation arrangements and disciplinary processes with respect to central service rules.
