Haryana government promotes IAS officer Ashok Khemka to the post of principal secretary

CHANDIGARH: Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka who had cancelled the mutation of a land deal between a firm owned by Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and realty major DLF, was among six officers today promoted to the rank of Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary by the Haryana government.

Khemka is currently posted as Secretary and Director General, Archaeology and Museums Department of Haryana Government.

The other five IAS officers of 1991 batch who have been promoted to the rank of Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary are Abhilaksh Likhi, Vineet Garg, Anil Malik, AK Singh and Shrikant Walgad said a senior official here.

"These officers have been promoted to the Higher Administrative Grade (HAG) which entitles them to be designated as Financial Commissioner and Principal Secretary," Additional Chief Secretary, Sanjeev Kaushal said.

Kaushal further said the officers who have been promoted will continue holding the same charge which they are presently handling.

In November 2015, the BJP led Haryana government had dropped charge sheet against Khemka in which he had been charged by the previous Congress regime with exceeding his jurisdiction when he had cancelled the mutation of a land deal between a firm owned by Robert Vadra and realty major DLF three years back.

Khemka came into limelight in 2012 when he had cancelled the mutation of land deal between Skylight Hospitality owned by Vadra and DLF.

The Rs 58 crore deal related to 3.5 acre land in Gurgaon's Shikohpur village, which was sold by Vadra to DLF amid controversy over allegations of undervaluation.