Rajasthan’s well-known IPS officer Mr. Pankaj Choudhary has once again come into the spotlight after he filed a court petition against senior IAS officers Mr. Sudhansh Pant and Mr. Bhaskar A. Sawant. The dispute emerged when a routine file seeking permission for Mr. Choudhary to attend a training programme remained pending in the Home Department for nearly two months, prompting concerns over procedural delays and administrative fairness.
According to officials, the police headquarters had forwarded the file after receiving an invitation from the organisation sponsoring the training. Despite repeated reminders, the file reportedly remained unattended, forcing Mr. Choudhary to seek judicial intervention.
Why the Training File Became a Point of Contention
Mr. Choudhary, a 2009-batch IPS officer, alleged in his petition that both senior IAS officers—Mr. Pant, the then Chief Secretary, and Mr. Sawant, Additional Chief Secretary (Home)—intentionally withheld the file. He argued that the delay was unwarranted, especially since both officers had supported the training nomination of another IAS officer who had previously been jailed for corruption.
Mr. Choudhary challenged the rationale behind approving training for an officer facing such allegations while denying timely clearance in his own case. He termed the prolonged delay a violation of service rules and an example of selective administrative decision-making.
Missed Opportunity: Training Programme Begins Without Officer
The training programme, conducted by IIM in Kolkata from November 17 to 21, was sponsored by BPRD New Delhi, which had nominated Mr. Choudhary. As per protocol, state government permission was mandatory for participation.
Police Headquarters had forwarded the request two months prior, followed by reminders on November 13 and 14. However, with no action taken, the training commenced without Mr. Choudhary’s participation—raising concerns about the administrative efficiency of the Home Department.
Senior IAS Officer with Corruption Case Granted Training Approval
Highlighting alleged inconsistencies, Mr. Choudhary pointed out that the state government earlier permitted IAS officer Mr. Anil Agarwal to attend a month-long training programme in Mussoorie. Mr. Agarwal had been arrested in 2016 by the ACB in connection with the NRHM (IEC) bribery case and was later released on bail.
Though the Personnel Department subsequently denied ACB permission to pursue the case further, questions continue to circulate regarding the criteria used to approve or deny training requests for officers.
A Case That Raises Larger Questions About Governance
The incident has triggered discussions within bureaucratic circles regarding transparency, consistency and fairness in administrative procedures. Observers believe the case could influence future norms related to training approvals and departmental accountability.
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