MHA official sent back to home cadre on graft charges

A joint secretary with the ministry of home affairs has been prematurely repatriated to Uttar Pradesh, his home cadre, before completion of his five-year central deputation after the CBI wanted to question him over corruption charges. HT reports.

A joint secretary with the ministry of home affairs has been prematurely repatriated to Uttar Pradesh, his home cadre, before completion of his five-year central deputation after the CBI wanted to question him over corruption charges.

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A home ministry spokesperson said there was an allegation against Sada Kant, a 1983 batch IAS officer, serving the ministry as Joint Secretary (Border Management) under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Pending enquiry by the CBI, it was felt appropriate that he be repatriated to his cadre. Accordingly, he was repatriated on May 20.

“The MHA gave the sanction to the CBI for questioning the joint secretary while sending him back to his parent cadre,” a source said.

Kant could not be contacted.

CBI has accused Kant of favouring a private construction firm in a road construction project in Leh that was being undertaken by National Project Construction Corporation.

“We had lodged an FIR in the case in October 2010. Kant’s name came up during further investigations and was included in the list of the accused in April 2011,” a CBI source said.

Kant was supposed to complete his central deputation in 2012.

Earlier, two IAS officers working with the home ministry had been arrested for different charges. O Ravi, a Joint Secretary, was arrested for corruption charges while Ravi Inder Singh, a director, was arrested for leaking sensitive information to a telecom company.