After Viral Video Of Officer's Expletives-Filled Rant, What Nitish Kumar Said

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered an investigation after a senior bureaucrat was caught on camera verbally abusing a junior officer on probation.

In the video shared widely on social media, Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer KK Pathak is seen hurling expletives at the junior officer during a review of his department.

Mr Pathak's rage was allegedly triggered by feedback shared on his treatment of his junior.

"The video has gone viral. We are looking into it. Everyone including the Chief Secretary is looking into it. We will investigate the incident," Mr Kumar told reporters today.

The Bihar Administrative Service Association has condemned Mr Pathak's conduct and demanded his sacking. The association's members came to work today wearing black badges in protest against the senior IAS officer, news agency PTI reported. "We will hold a three-minute silence against the abusive IAS officer," the group's general secretary Sunil Tiwari said.

"People here have no sense. In Chennai, people follow rules. Have you seen anyone following traffic rules here? They even keep honking even at a red light," Mr Pathak, Principal Secretary of the Prohibition Department, is heard saying at a meeting of officers.

The target of his anger, a Deputy Collector, is seen trying to apologise but Mr Pathak is unstoppable. "Now I will show them...I have been here 32 years," he said, also attacking the Bihar officers' body for complaining against him.

Reports say Mr Pathak was upset over a complaint filed against him for ill-treating the Deputy Collector during training. The complaint was filed by the Bihar government in Gaya in November.

Bihar Excise and Registration (Prohibition) Minister Sunil Kumar said disciplinary action will be taken against Mr Pathak.

A 1990-batch IAS officer, Mr Pathak was appointed Additional Chief Secretary at the Prohibition and Excise Department in 2020 after he returned from central deputation.