Central Administrative Tribunal directs centre to facilitate Sanjeev Chaturvedi's transfer

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the Centre not to "precipitate steps" which may cause hindrance in the inter-cadre change of IFS officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi from Haryana to Uttarakhand.

Also, the Tribunal issued notices to the Cabinet Secretary; Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Establishment Officer, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). The three have been directed to file their respective replies, in a week, to the accusations levelled by the IFS officer.

It was first reported by ET that Chaturvedi on Monday had moved the Tribunal against the Central government accusing it of obstructing it's inter-cadre change.

Chaturvedi, man who is being sought by the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi as Kejriwal's OSD, has alleged that the Narendra Modi-led government in the Centre is illegally obstructing his inter-cadre transfer.

Chaturvedi, an Indian Forest Service officer, had sought a transfer from his parent Haryana to Uttarakhand years ago but moved the CAT on Friday alleging the Centre was acting in a "malafide, arbitrary" manner to "punish" him for blowing the lid off "powerful corrupt elements" in AIIMS. The then Union health minister Harsh Vardhan had removed Chaturvedi as the chief vigilance officer (CVO) of AIIMS in Delhi a few months after the Modi government came to power. AAP, along with other anti-corruption activists, had raised a hue and cry over the removal.

He had applied for an inter-cadre change as early as October 8, 2012. In his petition Chaturvedi has alleged the Centre's interference in his "career prospects" is a "direct fallout" of the action taken by him against the corrupt persons in the AIIMS.

He has accused the government of hounding him under the "pressure of vested interests" against whom he had initiated action.