LG directs FIR against officer for pressuring subordinate to collect money from liquor vendors

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has directed registration of an FIR against an IAS officer and recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs disciplinary action against him for allegedly pressuring his subordinate for collecting money from liquor vendors in 2015-16, officials said Friday.

An audio recording of the accused officer, who served as senior general manager of the Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC) in 2015-16, talking to his subordinate has been verified by the Forensics Science Laboratory (FLS) thus establishing his complicity, they said.

''Delhi LG VK Saxena has ordered registration of FIR against IAS officer Amarnath Talwade and recommended to the MHA for disciplinary action against him. Talwade is currently posted in Arunachal Pradesh,'' said an official of the LG's office.

Talwade told PTI that the charges against him were ''baseless and without an iota of truth in it.'' It was alleged in a complaint that the officer had during his stint as senior general manager of the DSCSC in 2015-16 ''pressured'' a manager of the corporation (now retired) to collect more money from liquor vendors.

The complaint was filed by a Noida resident on March 21, 2023, along with a pen drive containing the audio clip, with the Directorate of Vigilance.

After a preliminary inquiry, the Directorate of Vigilance established identities of the two officers involved.

The audio clip was on the chief secretary's direction sent by the Directorate of Vigilance to the FSL that authenticated it as genuine and undoctored, the officials said.

A transcript of the audio clip revealed that Talwade had admitted to receiving Rs 5 lakh from his subordinate, they said.

Afterwards the matter was referred to Delhi government's Law department that opined it to be a fit case for registration of FIR, as the information provided by the source was not vague or cryptic or lacked essential details and the information related to commission of a cognizable offence, stated the officials.

The Directorate of Vigilance's proposal for an FIR to be registered by the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) and disciplinary action against the IAS officer was submitted to the LG for his approval.

The LG, while according his approval, expressed displeasure over delay in taking action in the matter despite ''clinching evidence'' in the form of the audio clip, added the officials.