Days after the successful launch of Agni-V missile by the Defence Research and Development Organsiation (DRDO), its Project Director Dr Rajesh Kumar Gupta was removed from the post on Wednesday. While in a letter to Defence Secretary RK Mathur, he alleged “bad treatment” and victimisation, DRDO officials said the transfer was “routine” and he was taken off the Agni project as it was over.

The officer alleged he was singled out by two senior officials within the organisation, including former DRDO chief Avinash Chander, who retired on January 31. Incidentally, his contract was also terminated 15 months before its culmination by the Government last month.

Gupta has complained to the Ministry that he received the letter, dated January 9, only on February 2 when he reached his office after the successful launch. “With all humility and respect, I wish to bring to your notice that on February 2, I was relinquished from the post of Project Director of Agni-V.

 I am shocked that... Such bad treatment is meted out to such a senior scientist with an excellent track record throughout service tenure,” he said in the letter to Mathur, who is also holding the additional charge of DRDO.

The scientist’s name had reportedly come up in connection with the sudden termination of Chander’s contract by the Government. It was then rumoured that one of the reasons for Chander’s removal  was three complaints filed by individuals including Gupta, who has denied any such move.

As regards Gupta’s removal, DRDO sources said such transfers are “routine” when a project enters into a different phase. They said the Agni-V is no longer in development phase. Now, the missile project has entered production and induction phase and hence transfers are routine since the services of an officer can be used somewhere else. A new person to take care of production is also brought in, they said.

Interestingly, the DRDO Press release issued on January 31 after the Agni-V said, “A jubilant Dr Rajesh Gupta, Project Director Agni-V described the trial a historic achievement, a dream fulfilled.”