Retired IAS officer Ashok Khemka plans to start new innings as lawyer
CHANDIGARH:
Ashok Khemka
, the Haryana
IAS officer
best known for annulling a controversial land deal involving Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's husband Robert Vadra and real estate giant DLF in 2012, has retired from service and now plans to begin a new chapter—as a lawyer.
Ending a 33-year-long career that saw an extraordinary 57 transfers, often to "inconsequential" posts, Khemka told The Times of India that he will be applying to the Bar Council for a license to practice law. 'I will apply to the bar council for a licence to practice as an advocate,' he confirmed, signaling his intent to continue serving the public, albeit from a different platform.
A 1991-batch officer, Khemka retired on Wednesday as Additional Chief Secretary in the Haryana Transport Department. His tenure was marked by repeated clashes with successive governments—both Congress and BJP—stemming from his reputation as a whistleblower and a strict enforcer of rules.
Despite being briefly entrusted with senior roles, including his last posting under Minister Anil Vij, Khemka was often shuffled between departments such as archaeology, museums, and science & technology, with little policy influence.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money
Expertinspector
Click Here
Undo
The BJP had once hailed Khemka's stand on the Vadra-DLF deal as a symbol of its anti-corruption plank in the 2014 general elections. However, once in power both at the Centre and in Haryana, the party offered him few substantial roles. Khemka did not shy away from expressing his disappointment. In a 2019 letter to then CM Manohar Lal Khattar, he criticized the state for transferring him based on 'extraneous and personal considerations.'
'Governance is no longer a service; it is a business,' he had written, expressing frustration with the erosion of public service values. Despite the turbulence, Khemka remained committed to the idea of public accountability.
He was given a formal farewell by the IAS Officers Association in the presence of Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi. Now, as he transitions into the legal field, observers will be watching whether Khemka's next innings brings the same principled activism that defined his bureaucratic career.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
Malegaon Blast Case: Asaduddin Owaisi slams Sadhvi Pragya's acquittal, ‘shoddy' probe — ‘made terror accused an MP'
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi expressed disappointment over the acquittal of seven accused in the Malegaon blast case on Thursday. He launched a scathing attack over the acquittal of former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur (Sadhvi Pragya), saying, "The world will remember that it [government] made a terror accused a Member of Parliament." He held "deliberately shoddy investigation/prosecution" responsible for the acquittal of the seven accused, including Sadhvi Pragya. "The Malegaon blast case verdict is disappointing. Six namazis were killed in the blast and nearly 100 were injured. They were targeted for their religion. A deliberately shoddy investigation/prosecution is responsible for the acquittal," Owaisi posted on X. He asked if the Centre and the Maharashtra government would "appeal the judgement the way they swiftly demanded stay in the Mumbai train blasts acquittals." "17 years after the blast, the Court has acquitted all of the accused for lack of Maharashtra's 'secular' political parties demand accountability? Who killed the 6 people?" Owaisi said. He went on to allege that in 2016, "the then prosecutor in the case Rohini Salian went on record to say that NIA had asked her to 'go soft' on the accused." "Remember, in 2017, NIA had tried to get Sadhvi Pragya acquitted. The same person would go on to be a BJP MP in 2019," Owaisi said. The AIMIM MP further noted that "Karkare had uncovered the conspiracy in Malegaon & was unfortunately killed by Pakistani terrorists in the 26/11 attacks. The BJP MP went on record saying that she had cursed him and his death was a consequence of his curse." "Will NIA/ATS officers be held accountable for their faulty investigation? I think we know the answer. This is the 'tough on terror' Modi government. The world will remember that it made a terror accused a Member of Parliament," Owaisi said. On September 29 2008, six people were killed and 95 others injured when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon City's Bhikku Chowk. Originally, 11 people were accused in the case; however, the court ultimately framed charges against seven, including former MP Sadhvi Pragya. While acquitting seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case on Thursday, the special NIA court observed mere suspicion cannot replace real proof and that there was no cogent or reliable evidence to warrant conviction. 'No religion teaches violence, the court said. Terrorism has no religion, but the court cannot convict on mere perception,' it observed. Earlier, the Bombay High Court had acquitted all the 12 accused in the 7/11 2006 Mumbai train blast case, saying the prosecution utterly failed to prove the case and it was "hard to believe the accused committed the crime". The Supreme Court had later stayed the Bombay High Court's judgement on a plea filed by the Maharashtra government. A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh clarified that the stay order would not affect the accused persons' release from jail. During the hearing, the Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, had sought a stay of the Bombay High Court judgement by contending that certain findings of the said verdict will affect other cases being probed by Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
Mint
25 minutes ago
- Mint
Watch Video: Shashi Tharoor mocks US-Pak deal: ‘Illusions about finding oil in Pakistan'
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor took a witty dig at the United States on July 31, saying it has some illusions about finding oil in Member of Parliament said US President Trump's 'dead economy' remark about India was a 'very serious matter.' Tharoor's remarks to news agency PTI outside Parliament came hours after US President Donald Trump Trump announced on Truth Social that the United States has reached a deal with Pakistan to jointly develop the country's 'massive oil reserves," in what he described as a major energy partnership. "I think they may have some illusions about finding oil in Pakistan. And I wish them luck," Tharoor said. Trump said the partnership is still in the early stages, with a leading oil company yet to be selected. "We were one country at one time, and I have not seen any reports that there was any oil to be found in Pakistan. But if the Americans want to loo, let them look," Tharoor said. Tharoor also called President Trump's 'dead economy' remark a very serious matter for India "... 25, plus an unspecified penalty for our buying oil and gas from Russia, it could take it up to 35-45... There's even talk of a 100% penalty, which will destroy our trade with America,' Tharoor told news agency ANI. Targeting India's trade ties with Russia, Donald Trump on Thursday said he does not care what India does with Russia and accused both nations of having 'dead economies". 'I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 'We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World,' Trump said in the post. Earlier, President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods starting August 1, citing India's high trade barriers, and an additional 'penalty' for India's continued energy and defense ties with Russia. Donald Trump criticised India's military and oil imports from Russia, saying it has enabled Moscow to continue the war on Ukraine. Trump's 'dead economy' remark is a very serious matter for India. I think they may have some illusions about finding oil in Pakistan. And I wish them luck.
Economic Times
25 minutes ago
- Economic Times
'Bargaining tactics...': Shashi Tharoor sheds light on Trump's tariff critique of India
Congress and other opposition leaders on Wednesday took jibes at the Modi government over Donald Trump announcing a 25 per cent tariff and an extra penalty on Indian goods, but also slammed the US President's move, terming it unfortunate. Here is Shashi Tharoor explains situation in detail. Show more 10:13 07:04 12:12 04:17 08:01 08:24 09:18 01:39 01:14:54 28:24 34:32 05:44 07:21 06:03 35:30 01:44 01:15 10:35 04:34 03:15 55:27 03:02 01:56 05:01 03:26 03:01 04:27 03:54 03:07
