Friday, January 18, 2013

Hats Off: Four metres of cloth, an almirah and IAS officer Rajni Sekhri Sibal

Rajni Sekhri Sibal
OFTEN you hear about stories of bureaucrats passively becoming a party to politicians’ loot for next election. Here is a contrarian take. This woman IAS officer from Haryana cadre first said a firm “no” to…
any bribery lure for changing the results of 3,200 Junior Basic Training (JBT) teachers in 1999-2000. When her transfer order came, she wrapped the steel almirah with the actual list of results lying inside, with four-metre-long cloth and bandages, making it impossible for anyone to open the almirah and temper with the list. Insiders say, her small act of wrapping the almirah was in fact a big step towards spotting a huge scandal. Now, former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, his son Ajay Chautala and 51 others are in Tihar jail facing serious charges of corruption in what is now known as JBT Recruitment Scam. 
According to CBI which has been probing the case, Ms Rajni Sekhri Sibal was asked to change the award list by then political advisor to Haryana chief minister Sher Singh Badshami in presence of OSD Vidya Dhar, a promoted IAS officer, and OP Chautala’s son Ajay Chautala. She said “no”, and then recommended compilation of the results vide her note sheet dated June 20, 2000. She was transferred. During the investigation, Ms Sibal acted as a witness.
A December 4, 2003 an article "An unsung heroine" appeared in The Tribune said: “Mrs Sibal was so upset at the behaviour of the INLD functionary that she virtually cried. The same afternoon, the sources say, Mrs Sibal brought cotton bandages and sealed the steel almirah in the presence of five employees of her office. They all signed the bandages at several places. The keys of the almirah, too, were sealed in an envelope. A few days after the incident, Mr Sanjiv Kumar took over as the DPE.”
The article further said if Mrs Sibal had not sealed the almirah in a way that it could not have been broken, “Mr Sanjiv Kumar, the sources say, might have given in to the pressure”. “But he knew that tampering with the lists would land him in soup,” the article said.
Sanjiv Kumar, a 1985 batch IAS later turned a whistle-blower in the case but the Special CBI Court on Wednesday convicted him too along with 52 others.
A post graduate in psychology and economics, Ms Rajni Sekhri Sibal is a diploma holder in French. This 53-year-old officer was the Director General of Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Gurgaon, before joining as joint secretary in Union animal husbandry department on a Central deputation last year.

Action and Appointments
a) A 1980 batch Central Secretariat Service officer Ms S Narendra, who is currently a joint secretary in the ministry of road transport and highways, has been appointed as Joint Director General in Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). She is appointed till September 30, 2015, the day she retires, and is expected to play a key role in the civil aviation regulator. She will replace a 1985 batch MP cadre IAS officer Anil Srivastava who was appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation on a lateral basis.
b) The ACC has approved appointing JB Mohapatra, a 1985 batch IRS-IT official as joint secretary and financial adviser in the Department of Electronics and IT.
c) The ACC has approved extension of additional charge of the post of secretary, National Disaster Management Authority to PG Dhar Chakraborty, a 1980 batch J&K cadre IAS who is currently Adviser, Inter-State Council Secretariat, for a period of three months or till a regular incumbent is appointed.
d) AK Gupta, a 1981 batch Kerala cadre IAS, has been appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer in the Mineral & Metal Trading Corporation (MMTC). According to the ACC order, Gupta "will have the option to draw his pay in the pay scale of joint secretary to Government of India plus deputation allowance, if admissible, or pay of the post.

18 comments:

  1. HATS OFF from my side too, Ma'm

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  2. We need more people like her in our country.
    Respect.

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    1. I am totally agree with you that we need people like Mrs.Rajni Sekhri Sibal.

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    2. don't u mean a very less nos. of people(IAS) like Rajni mam.

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  3. Life is tough if you oppose your corrupt political master. If you agree and sign the file, you may find a berth in Tihar! Choice is yours

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  4. life is tough but not unbearable if one is not after power and treats the job as something that bestows responsibility and not power. but every whistle blower even if guilty at some point should be dealt with lineiently. if the reel is wound back to prewhistle blowing situation, mr sanjeev kumar would not have dared to whistle blow even if he was kicked around physically by politicians if he felt he will be sent to jail or his whistlee blowing act.

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  5. The seriousness of an IAS doing an dishonest and illegal act is very high. First, an IAS should not be party to such illegal and dishonest act and if party and later turning a whistle blower, to redeem himself, can not escape the consequence of his acts. But this logic is sound if a swift mechanisim exists to punish IAS doing illegal and dishonest act. Since it does not, Linency should have been shown if full cooperation was provided.

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  6. I salute this officer. She deserves for appreciation from the society.In fact bureaucracy and politicians are both accountable, if their action go against the nation. Unfortunately, most of the bureaucrats becasue of the selfish reasons make compromises in front of the politicians. Most of the politicians are not cabple enough to deal any issue wether it is sensitive or insensitive. That is why this country is soaring. If this compromises continues coming ten years then situation will be worst. Anyhow it will be to late to repair this loss.

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  7. I, WITH MY STUDENTS OF LL.M. 2nd semester(evening, ILI, NEW DELHI VISITED TIHAR JAIL ON MARCH 12, 2013. WE SAW BOTH CHAUTALA, ie OMPRAKASH CHAUTALA AND AJAY CHAUTALA. BOTH POWERFUL CORRUPT CONVICTED POLITICIAN ARE WHITE COLLER CRIMINALS. THEY ARE IN JAIL BECAUSE OF OFFICERS LIKE Rajni Sekhri Sibal AND DR PRABHAT KUMAR. WE SALUTE THE SPIRIT AND COURAGE OF THESE OFFICERS. THEY ARE THE REAL STEEL FRAMES.
    AD

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  8. Hats off to Rajni Sekhri Sibal. May her tribe in Babudom grow. A lesson to the corrupt and the fence-sitters among the Babus. Happy to see a blog of this kind. It will be an encouragement to honest officers. God Bless.

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  9. HATS UP TO THIS CIVIL SERVENT MS.RAJNI SEKHRI SIBAL.SHE DISERVES THE WORD ''CIVIL SERVENT''.
    WE NEED MUCH MORE CIVIL SERVENTS LIKE HER.

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  10. IT was after the visit of IAS MS.RAJNI SEKHRI SIBAL, at our ET institution at Kalsi I searched by her name in google and i was totally astonished by her courage to put corrupt politicians behind the bars. She is so gentle ,keen observer and encouraging. The respect for her has increased many folds, from the core of my heart for her.

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  11. ... and now they bake biscuits after breaking seals of the Almirah... with their broken minds, and hearts..telling other not to tamper with the system itself.
    Wish every IAS to THINK before he falls a party to the case for his personal gains.
    Kartar Singh Sirsa Haryana

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  12. Officials like Rajni Sibal should be given accelerated promotions and officials with doubtful integrity should be detained and denied promotions. The present system of batchwise promotions where all IAS are promoted upto the rank of Secretary should be stopped. Only honest, sincere and those with proven track record should be promoted. The lure of lucre is difficult to resist but that is exactly the quality leaders should have.At present Rajni Sibal ,in Government records, is just like any other average ,incompetent or barely competent IAS official and all will end up as Addl Chief Secretary with a basic pay of Rs 80,000 p.m. Then what is the special reward for Rajni Sibal. How ha the system appreciated her?

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  13. Dear Mr S K,

    Present system is very good as it shields against mischievous reporting.

    IAS cadre is strong enough to shield performers.

    It is this cadre which has saved country from becoming Banana republic. Armed Forces, All India Services, and Central Services are the main pillar of democracy. India growth story is their success.

    Persons who join Govt. service never look as money as reward. They have deep concern for nation and perform and maintain efficiency even at personal risk.

    What is necessary that media report efficient stories very often so that negative effects are uprooted and public image is developed in right direction. Direct recruit Group A officers often fall prey to large amount of false complaint.



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  14. It requires courage to stand against powerful people who try every gimmick to get their nefarious designs executed. Their henchmen r notorious for humiliating/threatening Govt Servants. Maintaining such a tough stance is praiseworthy indeed.

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  15. Really great job by Madam! Hats off to her!

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  16. Came to know today through Google.
    I feel proud to know that I was selected as APO (NRY-DUDA)ROHTAK in1991, by such a noble lady officer.
    I Just salute her. I pray God to fulfill all her wishes and give her long life.Rare of the rarest officer, a boon for society.
    S K AGARWAL

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