Chandigarh:
Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who had kicked up a political storm alleging irregularities in land deals involving businessman Robert Vadra and DLF, was today again transferred by Haryana government for the second time in nearly six months.
Mr Khemka, at present Managing Director, Haryana Seeds Development Corporation, has been posted as Secretary, Haryana Archives relieving Vikas Yadav of the charge, an official release said in Chandigarh.
During his 21-year-long career, 47-year-old Mr Khemka has been transferred over 40 times.
While no reasons were cited in the statement, sources said that the whistleblower bureaucrat had raised hackles over his decisions on postings and disciplinary action against employees of the Corporation.
Mr Khemka was shifted from the Director General Consolidation of Land Holdings and Land Records-cum-Inspector General of Registration to the Seed Development Corporation in October last year shortly after he initiated a probe into the land dealings between Mr Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, and realty giant DLF.
After cancelling the mutation of the land deal, Mr Khemka had alleged that he had received a number of threat calls.
Four Haryana deputy commissioners conducted inquiry into the deals after Mr Khemka's order and gave a clean chit to Mr Vadra saying that there was no "undervaluation" or loss of revenue to the government in the land deals involving him in the state.
Meanwhile, there was some drama as Mr Khemka's successor B S Duggal, Additional Director, Agriculture Extension) of the Directorate of Agriculture, reached his new office in Panchkula this evening but was not handed over the charge by Mr Khemka.
Mr Khemka said that he had not received his transfer orders as yet. He told reporters in Panchkula that he will continue to hold his present office because he had not received any communication in writing about his transfer.
He refused to speak on being transferred yet again in less than six months.
"I will not say anything now," Mr Khemka said.
Mr Duggal was waiting to join his new post as Mr Khemka was yet to hand over the charge, the sources said.