Breaking: Jharkhand’s longest-serving Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh removed; Khiangte is new CS

SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA

Ranchi, Dec. 6: In a surprising turn of events, the Jharkhand Government today transferred Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh. He has been replaced by SKIPA (Sri Krishna Institute of Public Administration) Director General (DG) L Khiangte.

Singh, a 1987 batch IAS officer scheduled to retire on March 31 2024, has replaced Khiangte, a 1988 batch IAS officer, in SKIPA. Khiangte is due to retire in October 2024.

The unceremonial removal of Sukhdev Singh, supposed to be an upright and honest officer, has surprised many in the power corridor as he enjoyed cordial relations with Chief Minister Hemant Soren making him the longest-serving chief secretary in 23 years’ history of Jharkhand.

It was all the more surprising as it was the Hemant Soren government, which had appointed Singh the chief secretary on March 29 2020.  He had earlier served as Principal Secretary to CM Hemant Soren in 2014.

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Low profile

Singh, who always maintained a low profile, had also served as principal secretary to Shibu Soren when he was appointed CM in 2010.

Earlier, in August 2006, then-chief minister Madhu Koda had also appointed Singh his principal secretary. He held the post till Koda was shunted out by Shibu Soren in August 2008. Shibu Soren, according to sources, had chosen Singh as his principal secretary given the tricky task of managing as diverse a coalition as the JMM, BJP, JD(U) and Ajsu.

According to sources, Singh had no inkling till the last minute that he was getting shifted to SKIPA.

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“Since Chief Minister Hemant Soren was today away in Seraikela-Kharsawan, it was possible that the notification may have been issued by the personnel department on his verbal direction,” said a source, adding the immediate reason for his marching order was yet to be known.

Stand on action against tainted officers

However, an official attributed it to his differences with the chief minister on the course of action to be taken against the officers booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Notably, the ED had sent several detailed reports to the State government related to the corrupt practices of IAS officers, Pooja Singhal and Rajiv Arun Ekka, and Chief Engineer Birendra Ram among others pleading to lodge an FIR against them given a judgment of the Supreme Court. The ED has sent several reminders to the State government to take action against the corrupt officers by law.

Unblemished reputation

According to sources, Singh, who enjoyed an unblemished reputation as a bureaucrat, always took the stand that the state government should act against the corrupt officers by law. He had also recommended action against former Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi Chhavi Ranjan, later booked by the ED in the multi-crore land scam.  Ranjan is presently cooling his heels in the Birsa Munda jail.

However, the Jharkhand government has yet to take a final call against these tainted officers.