UP Govt Refuses to Share Information on Compulsory Retirement of Amitabh Thakur

The Uttar Pradesh government has refused to share information with former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur regarding his compulsory retirement, saying the documents are “highly confidential”. Thakur called this denial “improper and suspicious”, saying initially he was given compulsory retirement in an “arbitrary manner” and now he was being denied information related to his livelihood.

UP cadre IPS officer Thakur was given compulsory retirement on March 23 following a decision taken by the Union Home Ministry. He had sought documents related to the decision through a letter on May 26.

“Amitabh sought a copy of note sheet, correspondence, minutes, etc. of the file related to his compulsory retirement. These documents cannot be provided because they are highly confidential documents related to the discussion and approval at the highest level,” stated an order issued by Special Secretary of the Home Department Kumar Prashant on June 3. Previously, the Ministry of Home Affairs had also denied sharing the information under the RTI Act. Thakur was compulsorily retired with immediate effect in “public interest” on March 23, 2021.

Thakur was “not found fit to be retained for the remaining tenure of his service”, an order from the Union Home Ministry had said. “In the public interest, Amitabh Thakur is being given premature retirement before completion of his service with immediate effect,” it stated.

In 2017, Thakur had urged the Centre to dispose of his request for change of cadre to any state other than UP, saying the ‘bias’ against him did not exist anymore after the then ruling Samajwadi Party was routed in the assembly polls. The officer was suspended on July 13, 2015, days after he accused SP patron Mulayam Singh of threatening him.

A vigilance enquiry was also initiated against him. However, the Lucknow Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal stayed his suspension in April 2016 and ordered his reinstatement with full salary with effect from October 11, 2015.

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