Gujarat officialdom abuzz with a new fight, between "rugged" non-IAS babu and sophisticated IAS bureaucrat

Atanu Chakraborty, IAS

By A Representative

Senior babus in the nerve centre of Gujarat’s powerdom, Gandhinagar, are animatedly discussing a pitched battle being fought between a rugged ex-non-IAS official of the state government, who had been close to a top Modi aide currently in the chief minister’s office (CMO), and one of the most sophisticated Gujarat cadre IAS bureaucrats, heading a well-known bluechip state public sector undertaking (PSU).
“Compulsorily" retired from the PSU Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) on the basis of a disputed birth date, AK Vijay Kumar, the non-IAS babu, who last served on a senior position in the PSU, has approached the Gujarat High Court for quashing an FIR filed against him by the IAS-controlled PSU management for alleged irregularities worth Rs 5.33 lakh at the GSPC's Delhi office, where used to serve.
Vijay Kumar is well known in the Gujarat Sachivalaya for his excellent networking skills and connections with top officials and politicians, both in Delhi and Gandhinagar. He used to frequently meet Narendra Modi during the latter’s chief ministership (2001-14), the period when he developed excellent rapport with the Modi aide, who currently happens to be the Prime Minister’s Man Friday in Gandhinagar.
Vijay Kumar has been joined by another former employee of the GSPC, Bhawna Kumar, in the petition in the High Court. The FIR mentions this employee’s name, alongside that of Vijay Kumar, as accused for alleged financial irregularities in the Delhi office.

Non-IAS AK Vijay Kumar

In the petition, a rough and tough Vijay Kumar has the accused GSPC managing director Atanu Chakraborty, IAS – industry-friendly and urbane – for bearing “malice” against him, adding, the FIR has been filed in order to “harass” him.
The petitioners have argued that the FIR filed against them in Gandhinagar police is “not tenable” because only the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Gujarat police can probe corruption related cases in the state.

The petition says, “The complainant had directly approached the local district police in furtherance of mala fide intentions to harass the petitioners by implicating them in a criminal offence."
The FIR has been filed by Surendra Sanehi, senior manager (administration), who happens to be son of a retired IAS bureaucrat. It alleges that the accused have committed “financial irregularities” by forging invoices and producing fake vouchers for various expenses incurred, when they were in charge of the finance and corporate affairs of the company.
After the FIR was lodged with Gandhinagar police, the case has been transferred to the CID (crime) for probe. It is not known whether any departmental inquiry was ordered against Vijay Kumar, or if the Gujarat Vigilance Commission, looking into corruption charges against state officials, was approached ahead of the FIR.
"The accused has also claimed reimbursement of Rs 54,749 for liquor consumption, which is not allowed as per the company's policy," states in the FIR, adding, "Food bills worth Rs 1.94 lakh were submitted. Those bills were from India International Centre (IIC) where Vijay Kumar's wife is a member, so all the bills in her name were reimbursed from GSPL's accounts."
The petition was filed last month but so far the court has not granted any relief sought by the petitioners.

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog