The Kerala government suffered yet another setback at the Ernakulam Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which on Tuesday directed the state to issue the mandatory Vigilance clearance certificate to senior IPS officer Yogesh Gupta within five working days. The clearance had been withheld for several months.
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The Kerala government suffered yet another setback at the Ernakulam Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which on Tuesday directed the state to issue the mandatory Vigilance clearance certificate to senior IPS officer Yogesh Gupta within five working days. The clearance had been withheld for several months.
Taking note of the government’s inordinate delay, the Tribunal instructed the Chief Secretary to submit Gupta’s vigilance status certificate to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs within the stipulated time frame.
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The Tribunal Bench, comprising Justice Sunil Thomas and Administrative Member V Rama Mathew, passed the order on a petition filed by Yogesh Gupta, who alleged deliberate delay by the government in forwarding his vigilance status to the Centre.
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Despite repeated reminders from the Union Home Ministry, the state government had failed to issue the clearance, which is essential for considering officers for deputation to top national agencies.
Earlier, on September 16, the CAT’s Ernakulam Bench had stayed the Kerala government’s order posting IAS officer B Ashok as Principal Secretary of the Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department (P&ARD). The Tribunal ordered that Ashok would continue as Principal Secretary (Agriculture) and Agricultural Production Commissioner until further hearing.
Yogesh Gupta, currently serving as Director General of Fire and Rescue Services and also president of the Kerala IPS Association, argued that the state government was obstructing his career advancement at the national level. He pointed out that since April, the Union Home Ministry had made nine requests—via letters and emails—for his clearance, but the state failed to respond.
Gupta further submitted that although State Police Chief S. Sheikh Darvesh Sahib had given a favourable note in May to Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak, the government still did not forward it to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi.
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