IAS officer Khemka trains guns at CBI, seeks accountability

KHEMKA’S REPLIES TO HIS TWITTER FOLLOWERS REFLECT HIS DISMAY OVER THE FUNCTIONING OF PROBE AGENCY

CHANDIGARH: Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka on Monday trained his guns at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking performance accountability from the probe agency.

In a cryptic tweet in Hindi, Khemka said the CBI has an annual budget of ₹800 crore. “But how many convictions and acquittals (in the cases probed by the central agency). How will be the accountability fixed? If we take into account cases investigated in the last few years… Did any big wheel get sentenced?” Khemka tweeted.

“Haathi ke daant dikhane ke kuch aur khane ke kuch aur hote hain (The visible teeth (tusks) and those used by an elephant to eat are not the same,” the officer wrote on the micro-blogging site, hinting at the possible double standard in the agency’s working.

Responding to a follower who asked whether the Supreme Court ruling on punishing cops when accused get let off in criminal cases was relevant, Khemka said, “Has any cop ever been punished when an accused gets acquitted.

Bofors? 2G Spectrum? Or any other.”

To another follower, he wrote: “The question is who will appoint an honest and effective officer. Everybody liked a flexible spine.” In reply to a question about an alternate solution, the officer asked: “What is the solution to a weak character?”

While the IAS officer refused to comment on the intent behind his tweet, it clearly showed his disillusionment with the functioning of the central agency tasked with probes involving politicians, bureaucrats and high-profile individuals.

Khemka, who has been in a whistle-blower in several major scams, is also learnt to be disappointed with the way the CBI has probed cases involving former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, including Manesar land release case.