NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought sanction to investigate senior IAS officers including Union agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal, power secretary Alok Kumar and Aparna U, currently posted as mission director, National Health Mission in Uttar Pradesh, in connection with its probe into alleged irregularities in the investment of Employees’ Provident Fund of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) in the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL), people familiar with the development said.
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The CBI’s request to investigate the three IAS officers has nothing to do with their current tenures.
The people cited above said the sanction against Agarwal, who was at the forefront of the government’s move to implement three farm laws (now repealed), Kumar and Aparna was sought in December 2021 from the UP government as the case pertains to alleged irregularities in the state.
Section 17A was brought in by the government through an amendment in July 2018 to bring additional layer of due diligence after several bureaucrats complained that they were not able to take bona fide decisions due to the fear of probe agencies. It makes it mandatory for a police officer to seek previous approval for conducting any “enquiry” or “inquiry” or “investigation” into any corruption-related offence.
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One of the officers cited above said the CBI…
