Gujarat Government Suspends IAS Officer Over Alleged Financial Misconduct

The Gujarat government has suspended IAS officer Aayush Oak for alleged “grave negligence” that led to substantial financial loss to the state exchequer. Oak, who served as the Surat district collector from June 2021 to February 2024, allegedly issued an order inserting an individual’s name as the tenant of a barren government land worth Rs 2,000 crore.

A 2011-batch IAS officer, Oak was serving as the Valsad Collector before his suspension. The suspension order, issued by the General Administration Department, stated that disciplinary proceedings are contemplated against Oak for serious charges of grave negligence causing a situation involving a significant financial loss to the government exchequer.

The action against Oak followed an internal inquiry by the revenue department. The suspension stemmed from a complaint by Congress leader Darshan Naik, who accused Oak of overturning his predecessor’s order and unilaterally inserting the name of Krishnamukhlal Bhagwandas as the tenant of a 2.17-lakh-square-meter government barren land in Dumas, valued at around Rs 2,000 crore. Naik’s complaint, dated May 20, was addressed to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.