IAS transferred 66 times in his career, Most Honest Officer has now Retired, Read his Stories

Becoming an IAS is a dream for million of candidates in India. But can you believe an IAS Officer had to pay price for being honest and hard working. It might be shocking for you but an IAS officer was transferred 66 times in his entire services and now he has finally retired. We are talking about IAS Ashok Khemka.

Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ashok Khemka retired on Wednesday, bringing to a close a highly eventful and often controversial career that spanned over three decades. He was known as a whistleblower bureaucrat and earned national attention for exposing irregularities and alleged corruption in government departments in Haryana.

IAS Ashok Khemka announced about his retirement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). People are praising him on social media for its honesty and service towards the nation. People are saying – If there had been some more IAS Officers like him, the entire nation would have been in a better situation. Let’s know who is IAS Ashok Khemka and why is he praised so much?

Who is IAS Ashok Khemka?

Ashok Khemka was born on April 30, 1965, in Kolkata. He graduated with a B.Tech in Computer Science from the prestigious IIT Kharagpur in 1988. He later completed a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), an MBA in Finance, and a Master’s in Economics from IGNOU. In 2016, he even pursued a law degree from Punjab University. He joined the IAS in 1991 and was allocated to the Haryana cadre.

IAS Ashok Khemka Transferred 66 Times

Over his 34-year career, Khemka was transferred 66 times, making him the second-most transferred IAS officer in Haryana, after Pradeep Kasni. Many of these transfers were done after he reported alleged corruption or misuse of power in the government departments. As per reports, he was transferred to various low posts that were deemed unfit for a high ranking officer. Let’s have a look at some of the big actions taken by him.

Ashok Khemka cancelled Land Deal involving Robert Vadra

Khemka is best known for cancelling a land deal involving Robert Vadra (son-in-law of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi) and real estate firm DLF in 2012. His actions drew national media attention and political controversy.

In October 2012, as Director-General of Land Consolidation and Land Records, Khemka cancelled the mutation of a 3.5-acre land deal in Shikohpur (now Sector 83), Gurugram, between Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd, linked to Robert Vadra, and DLF Universal Ltd.

The land was purchased by Skylight for Rs 7.5 crore in February 2008 and sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore after the Congress-led Haryana government granted it a commercial colony licence. Khemka alleged the transaction was a “sham”, facilitated by political influence.

The Haryana government filed a chargesheet in 2013, accusing Khemka of overstepping his authority and exercising power after his transfer, violating service norms. The state government also alleged that the officer had selectively targeted Vadra’s deal, ignoring 2,500 similar mutations in Shikohpur from 1990 to 2012. Further, he had breached the All India Service Rules by publicly critiquing government policies in media interviews.

Probe into other Gurugram land deals linked to Vadra (2012)

In 2012, Khemka also ordered the deputy commissioner of Gurgaon (now Gurugram) to investigate all properties registered by Vadra or his companies (Skylight Realty, Real Earth Estates, Blue Breeze Trading, Artex, and North India IT Parks) since January 1, 2005, for alleged under-valuation to evade taxes. This directive followed complaints from India Against Corruption and opposition leader Om Prakash Chautala.

The then Congress-led Haryana government again accused Khemka of overreach, initiating a “fishing inquiry” without specific evidence, and embarrassing the government through media leaks. The Justice Dhingra Commission formed by the BJP government in 2015 to investigate such land deals submitted a confidential report in 2016 that has been kept sealed and not acted upon.

Wazirabad land allotment allegations (2018)

In 2018, a person named Surender Sharma filed an FIR at Kherki Daula police station, alleging that Vadra, Hooda, DLF, and others conspired to secure wrongful allotment of 350 acres in Wazirabad as part of a Rs 5,000-crore land scam.

The state government initially questioned Khemka over why he didn’t pursue the Wazirabad allegations during his 2012 tenure. Khemka said the allegations surfaced much later. An investigation in the case is ongoing.

Alleged defamation in Gurugram land deal public statements (2012-2013)

Khemka’s public statements and media interviews in 2012-2013, where he called the Vadra-DLF deal a “sham” and alleged political favouritism in Gurugram’s land licensing, led to a defamation complaint by a Congress leader in Haryana. The complaint was filed in a Gurugram court, accusing Khemka of tarnishing the reputation of the state government and Vadra.

He also reported on several other high-profile land scams such as the DLF land case, the Sonipat-Kharkhoda Industrial Model Township (IMT) land deal, and the Garhi Sampla Uddar Gagan land case. In his brief 80-day tenure as Director-General of Land Consolidation and Registration, he flagged illegal transfers of panchayat land to private firms worth hundreds of crores.

However, his efforts often came at a personal cost. He claimed to have received death threats and faced official harassment, including multiple transfers and disciplinary charges.

Actions by Haryana Government

In 2013, the Haryana government filed two chargesheets against Khemka. One alleged that he failed in his responsibilities while serving as Managing Director of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation. However, many saw these charges as retaliation for his tough stance against corruption.

Khemka’s transfers continued even after the BJP came to power in Haryana under Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. In 2014, he was made Transport Commissioner but was soon moved after launching a crackdown on overloaded trucks. Later, disagreements with ministers over departmental misuse and favoritism led to more transfers.

By 2019, he had been posted in 51 different departments — a record that symbolized both his commitment and the systemic resistance he faced. In 2022, a former IAS officer accused Khemka of appointing ineligible candidates to the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation. Khemka declined to comment on the matter.

Legal Battles and Recognition

Khemka’s actions have frequently led to legal battles. In March 2024, the Supreme Court overruled the High Court’s decision to elevate his Annual Confidential Report (ACR) grading, a move that many saw as part of his long fight for fairness in the bureaucracy. Despite challenges, Khemka has received public praise for his honesty and integrity.

The End of an Era

Khemka retired as a symbol of both the challenges honest officers face in public service and the power of standing by one’s principles. As he exits the civil service, his career leaves behind a lasting legacy of resistance against corruption, administrative transparency, and the price of integrity. His story is highly motivational and urges other IAS officers and public servants to follow the path of honesty and integrity.