Thiruvananthapuram: Senior IPS officer and former Kerala Vigilance director Yogesh Gupta has approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), seeking release of his vigilance report by the Kerala Government so that he can be timely empanelled as a Director General at the Centre.

Gupta, a 1993-batch IPS officer currently serving as DGP (Fire and Rescue Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards), alleged that the state’s delay in forwarding his report was a deliberate attempt to obstruct his career. “The purported inquiry is only a camouflage with an ulterior motive to hinder the career prospects of the officer,” he told the tribunal through his counsel Girija K Gopal.

The officer, who previously served with the CBI and ED, led high-profile investigations into the Saradha, Rose Valley and Narada scams during his tenure as ED’s eastern region head in Kolkata.

Gupta moved CAT’s Ernakulam Bench last month, stating he was “highly aggrieved” by the six-month delay in forwarding his vigilance status report. He described the move as “nothing short of arbitrary and malafide exercise of power” by the Kerala government.

The state, in its response, cited a preliminary inquiry into decisions taken during Gupta’s tenure as Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau chief, and said it was not in a position to issue clearance.

Gupta countered that the inquiry was “roving” and based on “vague” allegations, not any specific charge. He submitted that he has maintained an “unblemished” service record and received “outstanding” grades in his Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs) for the past 15 years—proof of his “impeccable integrity, exemplary conduct and top notch quality of work”.

He also pointed out that the Kerala DGP had already sent a clear vigilance report on him to the state government in May. “Willful withholding of vigilance clearance by the state government was nothing short of harassment meted out to an All India Service officer,” Gupta said, accusing the government of trying to “weaponise it to create a pliant bureaucracy”.

The officer argued that the process of forwarding a vigilance status report to the Centre is straightforward, requiring only a 10-year review of punishments, misconduct allegations and pending proceedings. He noted that he was among three IPS officers shortlisted by the UPSC for the post of Kerala DGP, and that his report had already been sent for that purpose.

“When vigilance status report of the applicant has already been prepared and sent by the state government recently for the purpose of selection to the post of state police chief, for a similar report for empanelment purpose there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to refuse forwarding of the same,” Gupta told the tribunal.

The Kerala government, however, maintained that the report sent to UPSC was only for convening the empanelment committee and cannot be used for central DG-level appointments.

The CAT has reserved its final order in the case.

Meanwhile, a senior state official commented that such delays can demoralise officers and should be handled professionally. Notably, both Gupta and IAS Association president B Ashok have sought CAT’s intervention over similar grievances.

PTI