Centre clears Sahai's name as Home Secy

With the tussle between lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over transfer and posting of senior officers yet to get over, the Union Home Ministry has finally given its consent for the appointment of Principal Secretary (Finance) SN Sahai, a 1986-batch IAS officer to head the AAP Government’s Home Department in the national Capital.

The war of supremacy between Raj Niwas and Player’s Building had reached its crescendo with Jung putting his full weight behind Principal Secretary (Home) Dharampal and Kejriwal backing Secretary (Home) Rajendra Kumar. This was also the first occasion when the Government was functioning with both Principal Secretary and Secretary in the Home Department. Kejriwal had been routing the department’s files through Kumar, while Dharampal, a 1988-batch IAS officer, had been reporting directly to the l-G through Chief Secretary KK Sharma.

The row over the Principal Secretary’s post started after  Dharampal appointed Joint Commissioner of Police Mukesh Kumar Meena as the head of the Government’s Anti-Corruption Branch. He had notified the appointment of Meena on the directions of the l-G, which was opposed tooth and nail by the CM, who retaliated by appointing his trusted Secretary, Rajendra Kumar, as the Secretary of the Home Department.

The matter did not end. The Raj Niwas issued a series of orders clarifying that Dharampal was in-charge of the Home Department. But City’s Home Minister Satyendra Jain refused to accept Dharampal as the Principal Secretary. He, in turn, issued written orders that all files related to the Home Department be routed through Kumar.

The CM along with his Deputy Manish Sisodia had discussed this issue with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is reported to have suggested them that they should follow the rules to sort out the matter. Finally, the AAP Government recommended the names of 1988-batch IAS officer Chetan B Sanghi, SN Sahai and Rajendra Kumar for the post of the Principal Secretary (Home).

A source said the Union Home Ministry rejected the names of Sanghi and Rajendra Kumar for the said post. Finally, the Ministry gave the approval for Sahai as the new Principal Secretary (Home), who is considered neutral. Sahai himself had landed up in a controversy after  he assumed the office of the  Acting Chief Secretary after then CS DM Spolia had retired from the service. Jung had issued a showcause notice to him to explain how he could assume the charge without his prior approval.