The action underscores a zero-tolerance approach towards misconduct, even as the officer claimed the slap was a reaction to alleged harassment faced by his wife. (Image: X)
In a swift move, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday suspended RAS officer Chhotu Lal Sharma. The decision came only two days after a video surfaced on social media showing the officer slapping a fuel station worker in Bhilwara. The CMO issued the suspension, indicating a strong message against misuse of power by public servants.
The state government invoked the Civil Services (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Act of 1958 to suspend Chhotu Lal Sharma. The official order stated that the officer is being suspended with immediate effect. During this suspension period, the Assistant Director (Public Service) has been directed to report to the Department of Personnel in Jaipur. This legal step places the officer on a temporary leave from his duties pending a likely departmental investigation.
The incident that triggered this administrative earthquake occurred on Tuesday. Chhotu Lal Sharma, who is currently posted as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Pratapgarh, was involved in a heated argument at a CNG-selling petrol pump. A CCTV video, which later spread across social media platforms, clearly shows the SDM slapping a staff member. The visual evidence left little room for doubt about the physical altercation.
So, what led a senior bureaucrat to such an extreme action? According to police reports and the officer's wife, the conflict was not just about service priority. While the family was in their vehicle, Deepika Vyas, the officer's wife, said that several of the pump's staff members were making inappropriate gestures at her. According to reports, Chhotu Lal Sharma slapped the employee for acting inappropriately near his wife.
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Legal action was also taken against the petrol pump staff. After a complaint by the officer’s wife, Deepika Vyas, police arrested three employees on charges of alleged misbehavior. All three, nevertheless, were eventually freed on bond. The entire affair is made more difficult by this concurrent court case.
