Kejriwal said he has information of at least 376 other such instances where IRS officers, including him and his wife have been posted continuously at New Delhi for more than 10 years. He also questioned why Chatterjee, a close confident of Sonia Gandhi, is serving in Delhi for over 25 years

India Against Corruption (IAC) activist Arvind Kejriwal, while accepting that he and his wife Sunita Kejriwal (both belong to the Indian Revenues Services-IRS) were never transferred out of Delhi, said that this happened due to shortage of honest and competent officers with technical skills. While Kejriwal forgot to take note of Ashok Khemka (the IAS officer from Haryana, who cancelled the mutation of the over three-acre plot that Robert Vadra's company allegedly sold to DLF last month, has been transferred for 43 times during his 20 years service), he pointed a finger towards IAS officer Pulok Chatterjee, who shares good relations with the first family of the Congress party.

A release, issued by IAC, says, “Posting within Delhi is not unique to Arvind. Arvind has information of at least 376 other such instances where IRS officers have been posted continuously at New Delhi for more than 10 years. Due to the severe shortage of honest and competent officers with technical skills, Arvind’s tenure/postings were repeatedly extended wherever he was posted, approvals followed in due course.”

“Shree Digvijaya Singh may kindly provide, in his next letter to Arvind, all postings of Shree Singh’s good friend Shree Pulok Chatterji, IAS during past 25 years, including his deputation to serve private non-governmental organisations (NGOs) closely associated with Honourable Chairperson of National Advisory Council (NAC) (Sonia Gandhi),” the release said.

At present Chatterjee, perceived as being close confidant of Sonia Gandhi, is working as principal secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The IAC release also tries to convince that Kejriwal’s wife Sunita is an honest and competent officer and the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) extended her tenure over the years. “Due to her qualities the SFIO had on its own repeatedly requested her tenure to be extended. Shree Singh is making such personal allegations to ensure that honest officers are not posted to sensitive offices inquiring into the business dealings of Mr.Singh’s cronies. In June 2009 Smt Sunita Kejriwal was also appointed as the Central Public Information Officer for RTI disclosure of the SFIO,” the release said.

Here are the questions raised by Digvijay Singh, Congress spokesperson and replies given by IAC...

IAC HQ denies that Arvind has violated provisions of All India Service Rules as alleged by Sh. Digvijaya Singh. Arvind has repeatedly applied under provisions of

* The All India Services (Leave) Rules, 1955

* The All India Services (Study Leave) Regulations, 1960

* The All India Services (Joint Cadre) Rules, 1972, etc.

When his applications were malafidely not disposed of in time, Arvind followed the dictates of his conscience in the larger public interest.

Q1: Is it a fact that in your entire service of 20 years in Indian Revenue Service, you never served outside Delhi, even though the norms of the service are that all IRS officers  serve a posting only for 3 years in a place‘?

A: The facts, reasons and reasons for Arvind not being transferred out of Delhi are very well known to the prime minister and the finance minister. Everything which Arvind has ‘contributed’ during his posting at Delhi was ‘shared’ with his senior officers under the finance ministry and certainly up to the level of finance ministers. Posting within Delhi is not unique to Arvind. Arvind has information of at least 376 other such instances where IRS officers have been posted continuously at New Delhi for more than 10 years. Due to the severe shortage of honest and competent officers with technical skills, Arvind’s tenure/postings were repeatedly extended wherever he was posted, approvals followed in due course. Just recently the Income Tax department has again written to the DoPT stressing there is a severe shortage of qualified officers extending to 21,000 vacancies. Sh. Digvijaya Singh may kindly provide, in his next letter to Arvind, all postings of Sh. Singh’s good friend Sh. Pulok Chatterji, IAS during past 25 years, including his deputation to serve private NGOs closely associated with Hon’ble Chairperson NAC.

Q2: Is it a fact that even your wife, who also is an Indian Revenue Service officer, has never served outside Delhi?

A: Same as above. Smt. Sunita Kejriwal is an honest and competent officer deputed in sensitive postings like the Serious Frauds Investigation Office under the ministry of corporate affairs. Due to her qualities the SFIO had on its own repeatedly requested her tenure to be extended. Sh .Singh is making such personal allegations to ensure that honest officers are not posted to sensitive offices inquiring into the business dealings of Mr Singh’s cronies. In June 2009 Smt. Sunita Kejriwal was also appointed as the Central Public Information Officer for RTI disclosure of the Serious Frauds Investigation Office. As a consequence of discharging her designated functions in an open and transparent manner, Smt. Sunita Kejriwal was ‘selected’ to go for advanced training in Public Administration at IIPA Delhi in 2011-12 vide DoPT’s letter no. 12103/01/2011-Trg dated 27.May.2011

Q3: Is it a fact that any serving officer who goes on a study leave for two years with full pay, has to submit a full report of his study to GOI?

A: In terms of Regulation 3 of the “The All India Services (Study Leave) Regulations, 1960” such full report is to be submitted in only in the situations covered u/r 3(1)(ii) and 3(1)(iii) therein. This does not encompass Arvind’s study leaves. Sh. Singh may kindly refer to DoPT’s letter AIS-III dt.9.8.1994 to broaden his knowledge.

Q4: Is it a fact that you didn’t submit a full report, but only an interim report to G0I with a promise to submit a full report later, which you never did?

A: Please see answer to previous question and the concerned letter of DoPT.

Q5: lsn’t it a fact that the Service Rules provide that an officer who goes on a study leave has to compulsorily serve GOI for 3 years?

A: Sh. Digvijaya Singh is advised to again read the aforesaid Service Rules and DoPT’s clarifications. The said Rule provides that an applicant for study leave who has previously had long term training abroad must serve the State for at least 2-3 years before the leave is sanctioned.

Q6: Is it a fact that you went on an unsanctioned leave, without permission, after serving for only one and a half year, post the study leave?

A: All the facts and circumstances concerning this are in the records of the PMO and the finance ministry, including the letters of recommendation sent by Hon’ble Chairperson of NAC and Smt Aruna Roy member NAC etc.

Q7: Is it a fact that you were transferred to Chandigarh once, but you never joined?

A: All the facts and circumstances concerning this are in the records of the PMO and the finance ministry, including the letter sent by Hon’ble Chairperson NAC.

Q8: Is it a fact that you then sought voluntary retirement from service and even without it being approved, you absented from your office?

A: All the facts and circumstances concerning this are in the records of the PMO and the finance ministry, including the letters sent by Ho’'ble Chairperson NAC.

Q9: As a serving officer of IRS did you take permission of Gol to form your NGO?

A:  Arvind was not associated with any NGO while actively serving as an IRS officer. Doing this would be in violation of the service rules applicable to him.