Almora DM transferred for defying cabinet minister’s order
The Uttarakhand Government on Thursday decided to transfer Almora DM Savin Bansal.
Though the BJP government spokesperson Madan Kaushik termed the transfer of Bansal “a routine” and dismissed suggestions of any political pressure at work, Mathura Dutt Uttarakhand Congress spokesperson, said, “He has been transferred under political pressure. It is an open secret that a minister in the TS Rawat government was gunning for him.”
Joshi, Uttarakhand Congress spokesperson, said, “He has been transferred under political pressure. Apparently Bansal had denied to give his consent to remove an FIR lodged against cabinet minister Rekha Arya’s husband. This miffed the cabinet minister and consequently the DM was handed with transfer letter.
During an official visit to Almora, Arya had allegedly pressured Bansal to withdraw cases lodged against her husband. A case against Arya’s husband Girdhar Lal, a resident of Bareilly, was registered during the Assembly elections in the state.
Far from entertaining the request of the minister, Bansal is believed to have told her to recommend his transfer in case she was unhappy with his conduct. A livid Rekha Arya had then met with Chief Minister TS Rawat and expressed her unhappiness with the DM.
Of late, the minister’s displeasure with the manner in which she was being given a short shrift in the government again surfaced. This time, it was the transfer of eight District programme officers (DPOs), which was allegedly carried out a few days ago without taking her approval.
“These transfers were carried out without seeking my approval, I have cancelled the orders and asked the officers concerned to prepare a fresh list,” Arya had told reporters.
