Pradeep Kasni

Summary

Pradeep Kasni, a Haryana officer (state civil service 1984, IAS 1997), retired in February 2018 after about 71 transfers. In August 2014 he was moved nine days after refusing to issue appointment letters to information and right-to-service commissioners picked by the Hooda government. In December 2014, a month into a Gurgaon posting under the new BJP government, he was moved two days after reporting alleged collusion between revenue officials and land interests in Harsaru; the government said it had not received his report. His last posting was to a board abolished in 2008, and the CAT ordered his unpaid salary released.

Career total incl. pre-IAS HCS years. Indian Express and Tribune say 70 (Tribune calls the Aug 2017 order his 70th); TOI and The Quint (citing The Wire) say 71. The Quint text also mentions '74', apparently a typo.

1. 2006One report

   (moved again)

   TOI reports that in 2006 he was transferred 30 minutes after taking over as secretary of the state electricity regulatory commission, and in 2012 was director of industrial training for only three days.

   The other side said

   No reason reported.

   The Times of India, Aug 2014

2. 8 years with no move on record here.

3. Aug 2014Documented

   Secretary, Administrative Reforms, HaryanaAdministrator, Command Area Development Agency (also Project Director, Haryana AIDS Control Society)

   Kasni refused to issue appointment letters to two State Information Commissioners and three Right to Service Commissioners chosen by the Hooda government, noting that all three information-commission nominees held offices of profit on the date of the selection committee meeting and pointing to cuttings and overwriting on the file sent to the Governor. CM Hooda swore the five in at his residence on 27 July 2014. Nine days later Kasni was moved to a low-profile post, by his count his 60th transfer in 30 years.

   Up against

   Bhupinder Singh Hooda; S. C. Choudhary, Chief Minister of Haryana; Chief Secretary of Haryana, Indian National Congress Government: Congress (Bhupinder Singh Hooda, CM).

   Reported reason

   TOI, citing unnamed sources, reported the government did not want Kasni to give comments to the Governor, who had sought a report on the appointments, 'so has shunted him out'. Kasni alleged he received threatening SMSs from Chief Secretary S. C. Choudhary over his stand.

   The officer said

   'I don't know why I was transferred. Only government can tell. I am used to transfers as I have seen 60 (transfers) in my service of 30 years.' Later, to The Wire: 'the governments do not believe in truth but power and it was seen as an affront.'

   The other side said

   Chief Secretary Choudhary denied the threat allegation, saying he was only congratulating the officer (Times Now via TOI), and maintained there was no illegality: the appointees 'were either retirees or had taken voluntary retirement prior to joining their new assignment'. The new Chief Secretary was unavailable for comment on the transfer.

   Outcome

   Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki sought a report on the appointments; the BJP demanded they be set aside. Outcome of the Governor's review not found.

   What became of the matter

   Unknown. Whether the five appointments were reviewed or set aside after the Governor's query and the change of government in October 2014 was not found.

   The Times of India, Aug 2014 · The Times of India, Jul 2014 · The Wire, Feb 2018 · The Indian Express, Feb 2018

4. Dec 2014Documented

   Commissioner, Gurgaon Division(awaiting posting)

   Posted to Gurgaon by the new BJP government with a brief to curb land scams, Kasni reported to Chief Secretary P. K. Gupta that eight mutations covering about eight acres of government land in Harsaru village had been sanctioned in 2011 in violation of High Court orders, calling it a 'malignant conspiratorial gang-up in the office of the Collector in favour of the land mafia'. He stripped the District Revenue Officer of quasi-judicial powers and ordered an FIR against the former tehsildar. Two days later, about a month after joining, he was transferred without a new posting.

   Up against

   Gurgaon revenue officials and land interests (no politician named); state government, Bharatiya Janata Party (state government) Government: BJP (Manohar Lal Khattar, CM).

   Reported reason

   Kasni alleged 'a lobby, which is active with the land mafia in Gurgaon and other parts of NCR, wanted me out'. HT also reported a separate dispute over compensation calculations for a Manesar–Bawal land project (not fetched in full).

   The officer said

   'I was doing my duty and simply highlighted how some officials had aided the land mafia. If I was wrong at any point, I should have been chargesheeted rather than being transferred just a month after my joining.'

   The other side said

   A revenue department spokesman said Kasni had directed the Gurgaon collector to act, 'However, no copy or reference on this issue or order has been made to the state government so far', and that the government would take a serious view of any wrongdoing found by the collector. No reason was given for the transfer.

   What became of the matter

   Unknown. The result of the Gurgaon collector's verification of the Harsaru mutations, and whether the ordered FIR against the former tehsildar was registered, was not found. Hindustan Times, Jan 2015

   • Order Kasni's order of 22 Dec 2014 as Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner on the Harsaru mutations (as described by the Haryana revenue department and HT), Dec 2014

     (as reported) eight mutations involving 8 acres had been wrongly sanctioned by the then Gurgaon tehsildar

   The Tribune, Dec 2014 · The Indian Express, Dec 2014 · Hindustan Times, Jan 2015 · The Times of India, Dec 2014

5. Sep 2016One report

   The Wire reports he was transferred three times in September 2016 alone, and that over a dozen of his transfers came under the Khattar government.

   The officer said

   'sometimes you know how a government or a minister would want a file to be treated. And when people like me act differently, the result is a transfer order in the evening.'

   The other side said

   No reasons found.

   The Wire, Feb 2018

6. Aug 2017Documented

   CEO, Haryana Khadi & Village Industries BoardOSD, Haryana State Land Use Board

   His 70th transfer was to a board that, per the government's own RTI reply, had been disbanded in 2008: no office, staff, vehicle or budget. He worked from his house using his own car and was not paid for about six months. He went to the High Court, which sent him to the CAT.

   Reported reason

   TOI reported he had 'fallen foul with the ruling dispensation'; The Wire framed the posting as punishment (Kasni's view).

   The officer said

   Kasni said the Khattar government had promised no transfers before two years except on civil services board recommendations, but 'soon vested interests took over'. 'In some matters all the governments are the same.'

   The other side said

   The order cited 'administrative exigencies and in public interest'. Officials declined comment as the matter was sub judice; documents show he was told of an office allotment only after he went to court (TOI).

   Outcome

   A CAT bench headed by Justice M. S. Sullar (retd) issued notice to the Chief Secretary and directed release of his salary 'with immediate effect' (November 2017). After he retired on 28 Feb 2018, the CAT reportedly closed the transfer challenge as infructuous on 8 Mar 2018, recording that salary had been paid, with liberty to pursue monetary claims (OA 060/01378/2017; per search-index summaries of CaseMine/Legistify, order text not fetched).

   • RTI reply Haryana government reply to Kasni's RTI on the Land Use Board (as reported by The Wire), 2017

     (as reported) the Board had been disbanded in 2008

   • Judgment CAT Chandigarh bench (Justice M. S. Sullar, retd) interim order on Kasni's OA (as reported by TOI), Nov 2017

     The bench has also directed the state government to release Kasni's salary with immediate effect.

   The Wire, Feb 2018 · The Times of India, Nov 2017 · The Tribune, Feb 2018

7. Feb 2018Documented

   OSD, Haryana State Land Use BoardRetired

   Retired after 71 transfers in about 34 years (TOI; The Wire), with salary arrears reportedly unpaid. He declined the IAS association's customary farewell tea.

   The Times of India, Feb 2018 · The Wire, Feb 2018