New Delhi: A young IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi has written a letter to Uttar Pradesh’s Appointment and Personnel Department, alleging that he was transferred out of his posting in Ambedkar Nagar for attempting to improve transparency in the system.
In the four-page letter, dated 15 July 2026 and addressed to the Principal Secretary (Appointment and Personnel), Rahi has appealed the department to review his transfer and allow him to continue in his current assignment until a final decision is taken.
“The transfer has been made because I attempted to establish basic governance in the tehsil by promoting transparency, accountability and evidence-based grievance redressal,” Rahi wrote in the letter, seen by The Print.
In the letter, Rahi also stated that if the government cannot assign him a full day’s work, his salary should be reduced by half until a decision is made on his request for a meaningful posting or an inter-cadre transfer.
Rahi was serving as sub-divisional magistrate in Jalaun tehsil before his transfer. He claimed that he introduced WhatsApp-based grievance groups that connect officials with citizens. It created what he described as an “evidence-based, real-time social audit” of government functioning.
“These groups evolved beyond a communication platform into a mechanism for transparency, accountability and participatory governance,” the letter stated.
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‘Action delayed or not taken’
Rahi claims that the initiative helped uncover alleged irregularities in government schemes, revenue records, tenders and development projects, as well as illegal encroachments on public land. He says that he has been flagging these issues before senior district officials, and action was either delayed or not taken.
Referring to the resistance he allegedly faced, Rahi wrote, “Several disputes arose because of these efforts, but instead of addressing the issues, administrative continuity was affected.”
The letter also alleged that complaints were being disposed of without proper verification, and that he insisted on field inspections and documentary evidence before closing grievances.
“In many cases, there was a significant gap between the facts available on record and the complaints disposed of. I directed that complaints be verified through spot inspections before being closed,” Rahi wrote.
The officer further alleged that inquiries initiated against him relied on incomplete records and made attempts to stop inspections into alleged irregularities. He claimed his transfer was a consequence of challenging entrenched interests rather than any deficiency in his work.
Rahi has previously raised similar concerns about his service conditions. In March this year, he wrote three letters to the government seeking what he termed a “technical resignation,” saying he had full faith in the system but was not being given meaningful work.
“There are two systems: a positive system and a parallel system that has evolved. Wherever I am posted, I will have to fight that parallel system, and without support,” he had told The Print. He later received a field posting.
(Edited by: Aakriti Handa)
Sounds unbelievable, on the face of it. Let the facts speak for themselves.