Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reaffirmed that his government is operating under a strict policy of zero tolerance towards corruption and irregularities, stressing that transparency and accountability in governance remain the highest priority.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) stated in a press release that any irregularities found at any level of administration would invite the strictest possible action, irrespective of the rank or position of the official involved.
The Chief Minister’s office stated that in this context, the Government of Uttarakhand has accelerated action regarding the case of irregularities in the purchase of land located in Gram Sarai by the Haridwar Municipal Corporation. The government has initiated departmental proceedings against three officers involved in this matter: then District Magistrate Karmendra Singh, then Municipal Commissioner Varun Chaudhary, and then Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajayveer Singh (currently suspended).
According to the order issued by the Home Department, based on prima facie involvement, disciplinary action has been initiated against Ajayveer Singh under the provisions of the Uttarakhand Government Servant (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 2003 (as amended). He was previously issued a charge sheet and given an opportunity to present his defence, in response to which he submitted a written statement on September 16, 2025, denying all allegations.
To ensure an impartial investigation in the case, the government has appointed Dr Anand Srivastava (IAS), Additional Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand, as the Inquiry Officer against Ajayveer Singh. He has been directed to submit his investigation report to the government within one month.
It is noteworthy that for the ongoing departmental inquiry against the other two officers — former District Magistrate of Haridwar, Karmendra Singh, and former Municipal Commissioner, Varun Chaudhary — the government has appointed Sachin Kurve (IAS) as the Inquiry Officer.
Earlier this month, CM Dhami addressed the recent Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam paper leak incident, assuring that his government had acted promptly to maintain fairness and transparency in the recruitment process.
According to the CMO, CM Dhami stated that as soon as the matter came to light, the authorities arrested the accused and constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the entire examination process.
“We are committed to ensuring that the youth of Uttarakhand do not face injustice,” the Chief Minister stated.
Aiming at the opposition, Dhami accused rival parties of politicising the issue.
“The opposition tried to use the issue politically by making students a shield and attempting to create unrest in the state. Those who once questioned CBI and ED investigations are now demanding a CBI inquiry in this matter to derive political mileage,” he said.
Chief Minister Dhami further stated that, in order to address the concerns of the youth and foil the conspiracies of disruptive elements, he had personally met with the students and assured them that a CBI probe would be conducted and all their legitimate demands would be fulfilled.
He emphasised that the state government has enacted India’s strictest anti-cheating law to make recruitment processes transparent and curb cheating mafias.
“As a result, more than 25,000 youths have secured government jobs over the last four years, a record. Over 100 members of the cheating mafia, who had turned cheating into an industry during previous governments, have been sent to jail under this law. All these steps have been taken to secure the future and interests of the youth,” he said.
The Chief Minister concluded by saying that some people are claiming that the government has bowed to the demands of the youth or those calling for a CBI probe.
“To such people, I want to make it clear,” he said, “That I can bow my head and even sacrifice myself to protect the interests of our youth,” CM Dhami emphasised. The Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level competitive examination 2025 has come under intense scrutiny following allegations of malpractice, prompting the state government to launch a judicially supervised probe.
(With inputs from ANI)
