Jalaun/Lucknow: The 2023 batch UP cadre IAS officer Rinkoo Singh Rahee has once again found himself at the centre of public attention after writing a detailed six-page letter to the Uttar Pradesh government’s Appointment and Personnel Department, seeking a posting commensurate with his batch and responsibilities.
In a striking proposal, the officer has also requested that the government pay him only half his salary if he is not assigned work matching his capabilities, and even consider transferring him to another state if no suitable assignment is available in Uttar Pradesh.
The letter, written on July 15, surfaced in the public domain on Sunday after IAS Rahee shared it on social media along with a personal note reflecting on his long-standing struggle for what he describes as “good governance.” The development comes weeks after his transfer following a controversy during an inspection of a cold storage facility in Jalaun.
Letter Follows Transfer After Jalaun Controversy
Mr Rahee was serving in Jalaun when he became involved in a dispute with BJP leader and Block Pramukh Ramraja Niranjan during an inspection of the latter’s Betwa Ice and Cold Storage on June 23.
According to reports, the confrontation escalated during the inspection, after which Rahi was transferred and posted as SDM (Judicial), Orai.
Now, through his letter, the IAS officer has expressed dissatisfaction with his present assignment, arguing that it neither utilizes his abilities nor serves the larger objective of efficient governance.
‘Pay Me Only Half Salary If I Cannot Work’
One of the most striking aspects of Mr Rahee’s letter is his assertion that he does not wish to receive a full salary without meaningful work.
He wrote that his present assignment as SDM (Judicial) provides him with barely four hours of work each day. Since he is unable to contribute to his full potential, he suggested that the government could pay him only half his salary until he is assigned responsibilities matching his experience and batch.
If such a posting is not possible within Uttar Pradesh, he requested the government to explore the possibility of transferring him to another state.
Mr Rahee also criticised the functioning of public grievance hearings, describing the District Magistrate’s “Janta Darshan” programme as an exercise that, according to him, often fails to deliver meaningful governance.
Social Media Post Explains His Stand
Along with the letter, IAS Rahee posted a detailed message on Facebook explaining why he decided to make the document public.
Using the metaphor of a volcano, he wrote that most of his struggle remains hidden within the administrative system, while only a small portion becomes visible in public.
According to him, very few officials are willing to challenge systemic shortcomings because of fear, vested interests or reluctance to disturb the existing administrative culture.
He stated that discussions on governance reforms are often misunderstood, but insisted that meaningful administrative reforms can only emerge through transparency and accountability.
Raised Concerns Over Administrative Functioning
In the letter, IAS Rahee alleged that he repeatedly faced administrative hurdles while attempting to improve governance.
Among the issues highlighted were:
- Lack of adequate responsibilities despite drawing government salary.
- Non-sharing of important administrative information with transparency platforms.
- Obstacles while initiating action against alleged illegal encroachments.
- Difficulties in implementing governance reforms at the grassroots level.
He also referred to his efforts to create WhatsApp groups for every Gram Panchayat and locality in Jalaun to improve communication between officials and citizens.
According to him, these digital platforms enabled social audits of the functioning of field-level employees such as Lekhpals, Gram Panchayat Secretaries and sanitation workers by allowing citizens to upload evidence-based complaints and suggestions.
However, he alleged that several important categories of official information—including attendance records and work reports of field staff—were not made available despite repeated requests, limiting the effectiveness of the initiative.
References to Earlier Posting
IAS Rahee also recalled an earlier phase of his career when he remained attached to the Board of Revenue for nearly a year after a separate controversy in Shahjahanpur.
He stated that during that period he continued to receive salary despite having no significant responsibilities, something he described as being against his personal principles. According to him, he later requested a field posting and was subsequently transferred to Jalaun.
Allegations Regarding Encroachment Cases
The IAS officer further alleged that he encountered resistance while dealing with cases related to illegal encroachments during his tenure in Jalaun.
In his letter, he mentioned the names of Cabinet Minister Swatantra Dev Singh and BJP MLA Gauri Shankar Verma, claiming that he was instructed not to proceed in certain encroachment-related matters involving influential individuals. He also alleged that impartial investigations in some cases were affected.
These are allegations made by the officer in his communication and there has been no official response from the state government on these specific claims so far.
Cold Storage Inspection Preceded Transfer
Rahi stated that the controversy arose after he inspected the Betwa Ice and Cold Storage following a major fire incident in Lucknow that claimed several lives.
During the inspection, he reportedly found deficiencies in fire safety preparedness and sought relevant documents related to the functioning of the cold storage. According to him, before the inquiry process could be completed, he was transferred to the post of SDM (Judicial).
Who is IAS Rinkoo Singh Rahee?
Rinku Singh Rahi’s career has been marked by both administrative achievements and personal adversity.
Born on May 20, 1982, in a Dalit family in Hathras district, he completed his schooling in government institutions before earning a scholarship that enabled him to pursue a B.Tech from Tata Institute, Jamshedpur.
He cleared the Uttar Pradesh PCS examination in 2004 and later entered the IAS through the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category after securing AIR 683 in the 2021 UPSC Civil Services Examination.
His wife, Sulekha, is a yoga teacher, and the couple has a son.
Survived Seven Bullets After Exposing Alleged Scam
One of the defining chapters of Mr Rahee’s career dates back to 2009, when he was serving as District Social Welfare Officer in Muzaffarnagar.
He alleged that he had uncovered a scholarship and pension scam worth around ₹100 crore. On March 26, 2009, while playing badminton, he was attacked by armed assailants and sustained seven bullet injuries, including two to his face.
The attack left him with permanent facial injuries, damage to one ear and loss of vision in one eye.
After recovering, he continued pursuing the matter and later staged a hunger strike in Lucknow after alleging that information sought under the Right to Information Act was not provided to him.
Good Governance at the Centre of His Campaign
Throughout the letter and his accompanying social media post, IAS Rahee repeatedly emphasised that his objective is not merely a better posting but the pursuit of better governance.
He argued that meaningful administrative reforms require transparency, accountability and willingness within the system to embrace change. According to him, even initiating discussions on governance can eventually improve public administration and political functioning.
The Uttar Pradesh government has not yet issued any official response regarding Rahi’s latest letter or his requests for transfer and salary reduction.
