The Gujarat government has compulsorily retired two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, K. Rajesh and Gaurav Dahiya, under an administrative exercise known as Operation Gangajal. The action, effective October 1, 2026, followed a review of their service records by the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), focusing on integrity, conduct and suitability for continued service. The exercise targets officials facing serious disciplinary proceedings, corruption allegations and misconduct-related inquiries. The decision was taken under the applicable All India Services rules, which allow the government to review an officer’s service record and order premature retirement in certain circumstances.
K. Rajesh, a 2011-batch IAS officer, had been under suspension since July 2022 following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a case involving alleged bribery linked to arms licences and government land allotments. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also investigated him in connection with alleged money laundering. Gaurav Dahiya, a 2010-batch IAS officer, faced departmental inquiries following allegations of bigamy and professional misconduct in 2019, which he denied. He was reinstated in July 2023 and later served as Additional Development Commissioner in Gandhinagar. His compulsory retirement followed a review of his service record and disciplinary matters. The move has brought renewed attention to accountability within the civil services and the government’s use of service-record reviews to assess officers’ continued suitability for public office.
