Rupesh Kumar, a 2019 batch AGMUT cadre officer, paid the price for taking on high and mighty liquor vend owners in Chandigarh.
After a short stint of five months, the young IAS officer, who was holding charge of additional excise and taxation commissioner cum deputy excise and taxation commissioner cum collector, has been shunted out. Now he will be have charge of secretary agriculture marketing board with additional charge of special secretary house allotment committee, registrar cooperative society and secretary state transport authority.
What happened?
A week back, Rupesh Kumar had ordered the sealing of establishments and suspension of liquor licenses of ten major vend owners for violating the breach of terms and conditions of the Liquor Act. In recent action against the vend owners, Rupesh Kumar imposed a penalty of ₹30 lakh.
According to media reports, Rupesh Kumar had been strict on liquor vend owners and dealt with sale of illegal liquor with iron hand. In five months, he lodged 30 cases of illegal liquor sale breaking the backbone of bootleggers.
In an order issued by Home secretary Nitin Yadav, who is also the officiating Adviser, charge of the additional excise and taxation commissioner cum deputy excise and taxation commissioner cum collector, which was with Kumar, was given to Pradyuman Singh, who is an officer of Haryana Civil Service.
Who is IAS Rupesh Kumar?
A native of Amritsar, Rupesh Kumar is considered as a bold and effective officer. He won over his physical disabilities to prove that ailments can't stop people from achieving goals. Despite suffering from a disease retinitis pigmentosa, which has caused loss of vision, Rupesh Kumar comes to office on a twin cycle with the help of his PSO or driver. He is a law graduate from NLU Delhi and an alumnus of Jawahar Lal Nehru University.
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