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In a surprise move, the Jharkhand government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday transferred Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, who is set to retire on March 31, next year.

Singh now shunted as director of Shri Krishna Institute of Public Administration was replaced by L. Khiangte. In March 2020, Hemant Soren picked the 1987 batch IAS Singh as Chief Secretary who is considered an upright bureaucrat.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is claimed to be investigating the role of CM Soren in the alleged land and stone mining scam. Besides, the ED is also investigating liquor and many other scams in Jharkhand where the role of many senior bureaucrats, police brass and politicians are under the scanner. Yesterday the ED carried a land measurement survey of Ranchi-based Berlin Hospital in the matter of land scams. This hospital is said to be connected with a senior bureaucrat of the state who is very close to power.

Singh did not respond to phone calls but well-placed sources in the government said that it did not look like a routine transfer, hinting that Singh fell out of the good books of Jharkhand CM.

“Even CS was not aware of his transfer. As far as the matter of money laundering investigations is concerned, there is a perception in the dominating section of the bureaucracy that Singh as CS did nothing to safeguard the interest of the state bureaucracy facing the probe. As a bureaucrat, he remained neutral and strictly followed the rules, hence, his decisions, opinions and file notings displeased that section of bureaucrats and people in the power corridor,” said a well-placed source in bureaucracy.

Since last year when the ED first arrested the Jharkhand cadre IAS Pooja Singhal in the MNREGA scam and undertook investigation of Rs 1000 Crore stone mining scam, the ED and the state government have been at the loggerhead. The ED has sent several dossiers and reminders to the state government for action against corrupt officials and sought clarifications and documents related to the investigation.