Haryana: Vijay Dahiya shifted to low-key archives department

Following his arrest by the ACB on October 10 last year, Dahiya was placed under suspension but reinstated on December 21 after the court granted him bail in November 2023; Vijay Dahiya’s appointment as Karnal divisional commissioner, a key assignment, had surprised many.

Five days after appointing IAS officer Vijay Dahiya as Karnal divisional commissioner, the Haryana government on Saturday shifted Dahiya, an accused in a corruption case registered by the Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB), as commissioner and secretary, archives, a rather low-key assignment at state headquarters.

Meanwhile, Ambala divisional commissioner Renu Phulia was given the additional charge of Karnal division following Vijay Dahiya’s transfer. (HT File)

Following his arrest by the ACB on October 10 last year, Dahiya was placed under suspension but reinstated on December 21 after the court granted him bail in November 2023. His appointment as Karnal divisional commissioner, a key assignment, had surprised many.

The ACB in April 2023 booked Dahiya, who was the then administrative secretary of the youth empowerment and entrepreneurship department, Deepak Sharma, chief skills officer (a contractual appointee) in the Haryana skill development mission, and a private individual, Poonam Chopra, in a corruption case registered in April last year.

HT had highlighted that as Karnal divisional commissioner, Dahiya will exercise delegated powers under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandated prior approval of the state government before conducting an enquiry, inquiry or investigation into an offence alleged to have been committee by a public servant. As per the government’s instructions of May 2022, delegated the powers under Section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sanction for prosecution have been granted to the divisional commissioners with respect to group B, C, and D employees of the government departments, boards and corporations, urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions in matters of corruption up to ₹1 crore to be inquired, enquired or investigated by the divisional vigilance bureau.

Meanwhile, Ambala divisional commissioner Renu Phulia was given the additional charge of Karnal division following Dahiya’s transfer.