Dehradun: Mr Sanjeev Chaturvedi, a 2002 batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the Uttarakhand cadre and Magsaysay Award recipient, has escalated his long-standing dispute with the highest levels of Indian bureaucracy by filing a perjury application against Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan.
Mr Chaturvedi accuses the Cabinet Secretary of submitting a false affidavit and making defamatory remarks in a recent writ petition before the Uttarakhand High Court.
The case is scheduled for hearing on September 16, 2025, and marks a dramatic legal confrontation between a whistleblower officer known for his relentless anti-corruption efforts and the country’s top civil servant.
Background: Dispute Rooted in AIIMS Corruption Investigations
The controversy dates back to Chaturvedi’s tenure as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) at AIIMS, Delhi, where he launched multiple high-profile corruption investigations. Following his probes, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) ordered the production of related documents in February 2023.
Alleging non-compliance, CAT initiated contempt proceedings in May 2023 against both the Cabinet Secretary and the Union Health Secretary. The Cabinet Secretary and Health Secretary subsequently filed a writ petition seeking to quash the tribunal orders and stay the contempt proceedings.
Allegations of Falsehood and Defamation
Chaturvedi’s application highlights that the Cabinet Secretary’s writ petition contains “malicious, irresponsible, and unsubstantiated defamatory averments.” Specifically, the petition wrongly claimed that Chaturvedi did not raise corruption issues in his 2017 representations or petitions.
To counter this, Chaturvedi submitted a 2014 file noting from then Union Health Secretary Love Verma and Health Ministry CVO Vishwas Mehta, praising his “exemplary” performance and “absolute integrity.” The noting also highlighted the record number of penalties and disciplinary actions he initiated as part-time CVO of AIIMS.
“It is deeply unfortunate that the petition filed by the country’s Cabinet Secretary contains baseless and defamatory allegations,” Chaturvedi said.
What’s Next?
Chaturvedi has sought permission from the High Court to initiate defamation proceedings against the Cabinet Secretary. The case reflects deeper bureaucratic tensions and raises important questions about accountability and whistleblower protection within the Indian administrative system.
The upcoming hearing on September 16 is expected to be closely followed by observers across the government and legal community.
