Lucknow/Aligarh, Apr 1 (PTI) A 2023-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre has sought return to his parent Provincial Civil Services (PCS), citing prolonged lack of work, even as his family in Aligarh on Wednesday made an emotional appeal for a “meaningful assignment” for him.
Rinkoo Singh Rahee, currently attached to the Board of Revenue in Lucknow, has written to the President requesting repatriation to PCS, stating that he has remained without any defined responsibilities for around eight months.
When asked about his step, Rahee told PTI that his move should not be construed as an attempt to exit public service, emphasising that it was a procedural step.
“I am not talking about quitting the system. It is a technical resignation only. I consider the constitutional system to be good; if there are some shortcomings, they can be amended,” he said.
Rahee also dismissed suggestions of personal distress or harassment, stating, “I have no personal issues. I am not personally harassed, not in depression, I have already faced the worst.” On the impact of his decision on his family, the officer said his close ones were not concerned about his course of action.
“My family members and people close to me are not worried as they know that I am the same person who has faced worse things than this,” he added.
In his letter to the President dated March 26, Rahee has sought permission to tender a technical resignation from the IAS, citing moral dilemma over continuing in service without substantive responsibilities while drawing salary and benefits.
He stated that his adherence to constitutional values and an accountability-driven work approach had led to a sense of “unsuitability” within the prevailing administrative system.
The officer said that after being inducted into the IAS through the Civil Services Examination 2023 and completing training at LBSNAA, Mussoorie, followed by district training in Mathura, he was posted as Joint Magistrate in Shahjahanpur in July 2025.
He claimed that initiatives taken by him to promote transparency and address alleged irregularities led to resistance and his removal from active duties, and further alleged that past efforts to expose financial irregularities had resulted in threats to his life and a serious attack, while subsequent complaints did not lead to effective investigation.
He noted that he joined the state civil services in 2009 and was inducted into the IAS in 2023. He said that despite assurances from senior officers about being assigned work, no concrete role has been given to him, affecting his professional growth at a crucial stage of service.
Rahee’s earlier tenure as a PCS officer was marked by controversy after he flagged alleged irregularities in welfare schemes during his posting in the Social Welfare Department. He subsequently survived a gun attack in which he sustained serious injuries, leading to permanent disability. He has also claimed that he faced pressure and harassment following his complaints.
After joining the IAS, he was briefly posted as Joint Magistrate in Shahjahanpur in July 2025, where he made it to news once for doing squats as self-inflicted punishment over poor upkeep of public toilets. He was shifted to the Board of Revenue within days.
Meanwhile, in Aligarh, Rahee’s father Saudan Singh and uncle Raghuveer Singh Wednesday urged authorities to consider his situation sympathetically, asserting that he had not resigned but was seeking justice through proper channels.
Speaking to reporters at their residence in the Gandhi Park police station area, the family described him as an upright and committed officer who had consistently taken principled stands during his career.
“He has only requested that he be given an opportunity to serve with dignity instead of being sidelined,” Raghuveer Singh said.
The family also referred to his earlier role as a district social welfare officer in Muzaffarnagar, where he had allegedly exposed a scam worth over Rs 100 crore, claiming that the subsequent attack on him was an act of retaliation.
His father appealed to authorities to assign him work commensurate with his position.
“Give my son a chance to perform his duty honestly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Azad Samaj Party chief and Bijnor MP Chandrashekhar Aazad slammed the Uttar Pradesh govt over Rahee’s resignation bid, calling it a “reflection of systemic neglect”.
In a post on X, Yadav said efficient officers have “no importance” in the BJP government and are often sidelined, while those involved in corruption are given preference.
He urged officers not to take decisions in haste, expressing hope that a future government would ensure “due respect and proper roles for competent officials”.
Aazad termed the development “deeply concerning” and indicative of larger issues within the administrative system.
In his remarks, Azad highlighted that Rahee, who belongs to the Dalit community, had earlier exposed corruption and survived a life-threatening attack, yet now finds himself without work, forcing him to seek resignation. PTI CDN COR KIS ZMN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.