IAS couple who blocked stadium for dog shifted

NEW DELHI: Sanjeev

Khirwar

and his wife

Rinku Dugga

, both 1994-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officers who made the headlines on Thursday for walking their dog at

Thyagaraj Stadium

here by curtailing the practice time of athletes, were relieved of their duties with the Delhi government and transferred to separate stations.

While Khirwar, who was serving as Delhi’s principal secretary (revenue), was transferred to

Ladakh

, his wife Rinku, who was secretary, lands and buildings, was given a posting in Arunachal Pradesh. Incidentally, both had already overstayed their tenure in Delhi, said a source.


Union home ministry sources said a report was received from the Delhi chief secretary on Thursday evening stating the factual position relating to the alleged misuse of facilities at Thyagaraj Stadium. "Necessary action will be initiated based on the report," they stated.

Sources said the home ministry, the cadre controlling authority for AGMUT officers, took a serious view of the alleged misuse of official position and "indiscretion"by the bureaucrat couple, and decided to not only relieve them from the Government of Delhi NCT with immediate effect but also transfer them to stations far off from one another.

The cases of Khirwar and his wife

Rinku

were reviewed by the department of personnel and training (DoPT) soon after a section of the media reported that sportspersons were regularly being forced out of Thyagaraj Stadium to allow a free run to the couple’s dog. When contacted, minister of state for personnel and PMO Jitendra Singh told TOI that the relevant files of the two bureaucrats were immediately forwarded by DoPT to the home ministry, the relevant cadre controlling authority, for suitable action.

The home ministry sought a report from Delhi chief secretary on the "misuse of facilities at Thyagaraj Stadium". The report communicating the factual position was received in the evening, and a decision was taken to transfer out Khirwar and his wife even as MHA ponders over action to be taken against them based on the chief secretary’s report.