IAS officer Mundhe, transferred 25 times in 21 years, to head FDA

Mundhe, who was transferred to the relief and rehabilitation department on March 31, was later placed on compulsory waiting after his appointment was cancelled. Relief and rehabilitation minister Girish Mahajan had reportedly raised reservations over his posting. Subsequently, Mundhe was assigned election duty in one of the five states that went to polls last month.

MUMBAI: Known for being subjected by politicians to frequent transfers, 2005-batch IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe has been appointed commissioner of the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), a department that comes under NCP minister Narhari Zirwal. Zirwal recently found himself in a storm of controversy after a leaked video allegedly filmed from his bedroom went viral.

IAS officer Mundhe, transferred 25 times in 21 years, to head FDA

Mundhe, who was transferred to the relief and rehabilitation department on March 31, was later placed on compulsory waiting after his appointment was cancelled. Relief and rehabilitation minister Girish Mahajan had reportedly raised reservations over his posting. Subsequently, Mundhe was assigned election duty in one of the five states that went to polls last month.

The IAS officer has now been posted to head the FDA, a department directly dealing with consumer-related matters. Mundhe’s appointment to a department overseen by Zirwal is being viewed in political circles as a deliberate move by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is believed to be unhappy with the minister. Mundhe is known for taking decisions that often do not sit well with ministers heading departments where he is posted. This is his 25th transfer in his 21-year career as a civil servant.

Zirwal is reportedly already upset at being kept out of the loop of some major decisions by the medical education department which oversees the FDA.

Mundhe will take charge from Shreedhar Dube. Another IAS officer, Kanhuraj Bagate, has been transferred as managing director of Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited. He will replace Rubal Agarwal in the post.