Bengaluru: In a major embarassment to the state government, a senior IAS officer has written to them, stating that his transfer and posting order dated January 13 is “misleading”.
Recently, Harsh Gupta, senior IAS officer and former regional commissioner (Bengaluru division) wrote to the Principal Secretary (Revenue) stating that his transfer order stated that the newly created post of “Special Officer and Competent Authority” is for the “investigation of IMA cases”. In his letter, he pointed out that the investigation into the financial fraud of I Monetary Advisory (IMA) is already being carried out by the CBI under the supervision of Karnataka High Court.
“The CBI and ED have identified properties of about Rs 450 crore belonging to the IMA group as against the likely claims of Rs 1,500 crore…The task of the Competent Authority is to dispose of attached properties and calling of claims by the depositors.. as per orders of the Special Court,” he wrote.
“l have filed various periodic status reports to the Hon’ble HC about actions taken as a Competent authority under Karnataka Protection of Interest of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act (KPIDFE), 2004. The Court has not commented at any of these hearings that a separate exclusive post should be created for the work of Competent Authority under KPIDFE Act, 2004,” Gupta added in his letter.
“The very existence of IMA special officer’s post is immaterial,” he told a news channel on Tuesday, January 21.
He also lamented that the government has not provided the necessary facilities for the authority to be functional. “If the government wants the authority to be functional, I need separate full-time staff and an exclusive budget to be set aside. Right now, I don’t have a cabin, chair or table in the office,” he said.
Speaking about his demands, he said, “The CBI is already investigating the IMA case under the supervision of the court. Under such circumstances, my transfer to the authority conveys the wrong message. I , therefore, want a modification order on my transfer and functioning.”
He also demanded the creation of an additional post of the rank of additional/joint secretary, the posting of staff, personal staff and vehicles for the competent authority and other senior officers and office space with chambers and cabins for officers and staff.
