IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahee, known for exposing an Rs 80 crore scholarship scam and surviving an assassination attempt, has been transferred from his post as SDM of Jalaun days after a confrontation with a BJP block chief. Here's what happened and why the officer has frequently made headlines.
Uttar Pradesh: IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahee has once again found himself in the spotlight after being transferred from his post as Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Jalaun tehsil in Uttar Pradesh.
The transfer comes just days after an altercation with BJP Block Pramukh Ram Raja Singh Niranjan during an inspection of a cold storage facility. While the official transfer order does not specify a reason, it follows the controversy surrounding the June 23 incident.
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Why was Rinku Singh Rahee transferred?
District Magistrate Rajesh Kumar Pandey issued orders transferring Rahee as Judicial SDM at Orai with immediate effect. Rakesh Kumar Soni has been assigned charge as the new SDM of Jalaun.
The move follows allegations by BJP leader Ram Raja Singh Niranjan, who claimed Rahee slapped and pushed him during a cold storage inspection. The BJP leader also said CCTV footage of the incident had been submitted to the district administration.
Rahee has not publicly responded to the allegations.
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Revenue staff also raised complaints
The controversy deepened after revenue department employees of Jalaun submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate alleging rude and inhuman behaviour by the officer.
Employees accused Rahee of creating a stressful working environment and warned of collective leave, claiming they were repeatedly humiliated during official work.
Rahee has denied similar allegations in the past, maintaining that strict action during inspections is often misrepresented.
Who is IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahee?
Rinku Singh Rahee belongs to the 2022 IAS batch but has spent decades in public service.
He cleared the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Civil Services (PCS) examination in 2004 before serving as District Social Welfare Officer in Muzaffarnagar.
In 2009, he exposed an alleged scholarship and pension scam worth over Rs 80 crore. His anti-corruption efforts reportedly made him the target of an assassination attempt in which he was shot multiple times. He survived the attack but suffered permanent loss of vision in one eye and severe facial injuries.
His determination later inspired many civil service aspirants.
UPSC success after years of perseverance
Despite his injuries, Rahee continued preparing for the civil services examination and eventually cleared the UPSC examination after multiple attempts, joining the IAS in 2022.
His journey from whistleblower to IAS officer earned widespread recognition across the country.
Previous controversies
Rahee has also faced controversy during his administrative career.
In 2025, while serving in Shahjahanpur, a video showing him performing sit-ups following a dispute over sanitation arrangements with local lawyers went viral. He later said he accepted moral responsibility for the situation.
Earlier this year, he submitted his resignation, saying drawing a government salary without meaningful responsibilities amounted to corruption. However, he later resumed active service after being posted as SDM in Jalaun around 45 days before his latest transfer.
What happens next?
The district administration has constituted a committee to examine the allegations surrounding the June 23 incident.
While the transfer has been implemented immediately, the inquiry into the altercation and related complaints is expected to continue.
Published: 30 Jun 2026, 06:22 pm IST
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