NEW DELHI: In a decision that may prove to be a big moral-booster for upright All India Services (IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service ) officers across the country, the Centre has quashed the Haryana government’s departmental chargesheet against whistleblower, Sanjiv Chaturvedi , who had to face the wrath of BS Hooda government for blowing the lid off several forest scams in the state.

The state government had charged Chaturvedi — 2002-batch Indian Forest Service officer of Haryana cadre — and wanted his termination from service on the basis of fabricated charges against him.

The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) had, however, intervened and got the chargesheet against him quashed on Thursday by ignoring the Hooda government’s plea.

Chaturvedi’s persistent move to challenge the decision of the state government went in his favour when he submitted representations before the President through MoEF.

The quashing of his chargesheet will give a sense of security to all upright officers who want to go against the wish of respective state governments while exposing corruption within the system. It will also send them a message that the Centre may come to their rescue under the All India Services (AIS) Rules if they stand against graft.

Though the rules existed since 1969, the Centre rarely used this keeping in mind the wish of state governments. The Chaturvedi’s case has, therefore, presented an unprecedented example of the Centre’s intervention in support of the IAS officer.

The order will also have a direct bearing on the Haryana cadre IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who, too, is facing disciplinary inquiry and an impending chargesheet for exposing a multi-crore land scam in the state. Whether the Central government acts in Khema’s favour would depend on who comes to power in Delhi next year, but Chaturvedi’s case will act as precedence if such officers decide to challenge it under the AIS Rules or move court against states’ decision.

Chaturvedi had become a thorn in the side of the Haryana government when he had unearthed a multi-crore plantation scam in January 2009. Posted as divisional forest officer in Jhajjar, he exposed that funds from international donor agencies were embezzled. He unraveled the scam when he found that the plantation existed only on paper and got 40 field staff, including five forest range officers, suspended.

The move had, however, put him in trouble as most of those — involved in the plantation scam — had their protectors inside the government. He had to face numerous charges. In his representation to the MoEF, he alleged that the charges were fabricated to harass him.

The ministry had got all such claims verified through independent inquiry and found Chaturvedi innocent. He was subsequently brought on deputation to the Centre where he is currently posted as deputy secretary and chief vigilance officer in AIIMS, New Delhi.

But, it was not end of his trouble. The state government had initiated disciplinary proceedings against him and served him a departmental chargesheet — a prelude to his termination from service. He, however, challenged the move and presented his case before the cabinet secretary.

