ED links anti-corruption crusader VS Pandey with Hasan Ali case; Shunglu, Lyngdoh in core team of Pandey’s IRI

MAYAWATI government might have distanced itself by immediately removing principal secretary (information) and 1979 batch IAS Vijay Shankar Pandey in the wake of Enforcement Directorate’s possible probe on his alleged linkage with Pune stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, but this process of investigation is likely to damage the reputation of an anti-corruption group called India Rejuvenation Initiative in which Pandey has been actively involved.

According to reports, Pandey and Puducherry Lt Governor Iqbal Singh could be summoned by the ED in connection with the passport procured by Hasan Ali who reportedly evaded an income tax of over Rs 70,000 crore. The ED is also probing possible money laundering by Hasan Ali.

Pandey is known to be an honest officer and was one of the first civil servants to publicly declare his assets one and half years ago. Pandey is a key driver of anti-corruption group India Rejuvenation Initiative in which several eminent civil servants including former CAG VK Shunglu, former chief election commissioner JM Lyngdoh, and former Planning Commission secretary Dr NC Saxena are executive members. Significantly, Shunglu is now probing the Commonwealth Games scam and Saxena is a member of UPA chairwoman Sonia Gandhi-headed National Advisory Council.

House of Shankars: Mr Ambassador welcomes Manmohan Singh in US

ON Sunday, Indian government issued this official photograph saying “The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh being received on his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, in Washington on April 11, 2010”, without actually naming who is the one shaking hands with the PM and welcoming him in the airport.

In fact, the man in the photograph is Ajay Shankar, a 1973 batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer, who retired as industry secretary in December last year. No prize for guessing what he is doing in US, and more significantly, why is he welcoming the PM and his wife in the Maryland Air Force base?

Yes, you must have guessed it right by now. Mr Shankar is the husband of Indian ambassador to US Meera Shankar, a 1973 batch IFS, and has been staying in US after his retirement on December 31, 2009. Where is Mrs Shankar then? If you enlarge the photograph, you will notice ambassador Shankar in a yellow Sari behind PM’s wife.

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Pandey is back in Maya House

The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday reshuffled the postings of four IAS officers, including Vijay Shankar Pandey, a 1979 batch IAS, who was shunted out of the chief minister’s secretariat last month after Mayawati got upset about bad publicity over the Rs 200-cr B-Day extravaganza. Now, Mr Pandey will again be re-associated with the CM secretariat as he is attached to Mayawati’s residential office. In addition, he will be the principal secretary Food and Drug Authority (FDA).

On Sunday, Mayawati administration transferred 21 senior IPS officers, including eight Inspector General of Police.

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Who is this anonymous Reddy?

Just a few days after one assistant agriculture officer SV Rao from Karnataka’s Hindupur, was arrested for impersonating as an IAS officer in order to avail better facilities, the police seems to be clueless about who is Dr Srinivas Reddy? A man identifying himself as Dr Srinivas Reddy, has been e-mailing a senior IAS officer, E Rajshekarappa, Director, Economic and Statistics, Karnataka Agriculture Commission seeking information. The man has even e-mailed Karnataka chief minister PS Yeddyurappa, media reports said.

Taste of Time: Job in Ministry of Road

It does not matter whether you have a taste for good food or not? If you are in government service for 6 years in the pre-revised scale of Rs 3200-4900 per month, you can try your luck to be a canteen manager. Click at CANTEEN MANAGER’S JOB.

Also, if you are scouting for a government job, Insider’s posts in http://www.jobcorridor.com/ are ready references. 

Maya Once More: UP CM spells out stricter missive to senior officials

SPIRITED by the recent success in Uttar Pradesh bye-polls, chief minister Mayawati has made it clear once more that she wanted senior officials of the state to be more responsible in delivery of welfare measures and law and order mechanism. But that comes with a strict warning --- seniors officers would be held responsible if their juniors fail to come up to the mark. UP chief minister called senior officials of the state to her residence on Saturday and gave a piece of her mind amid tea and biscuits. Among those who were present during the interaction were cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, additional cabinet secretary Vijay Shankar Pandey, principal secretary (home) Kunwar Fateh Bahadur, DGP Vikram Singh, ADGs (law and order) Brij Lal and AK Jain and ADG (Intelligence) to name a few. Ms Mayawati also asked the officials make necessary arrangements in view of coming festivals of Ramzan, Ganesh Chaturthi, Haritalika Teej etc. UP chief minister is known for being very strict with officials, and she does not hesitate to randomly pick up transfer as a tool to punish them. Read the post “Maths, Stats & Maya” dated June 10. Also read, “All about Maya: IAS, IPS face transfers in UP” posted on May 25, 2009.