CAT directs Kerala govt to issue Vigilance clearance certificate to top Kerala cop

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 30 The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Tuesday directed the Kerala government to issue a mandatory Vigilance clearance certificate to senior IPS officer Yogesh Gupta within five working days, ending months of delay that have stalled his career prospects.

The directive comes after repeated reminders from the Union Home Ministry, which requires the clearance for considering officers for deputation to top national agencies.

Despite 13 applications from him and four separate directives from the CAT, the state government failed to act, instead moving Gupta across various posts.

Each time questions were raised, officials avoided direct replies, leaving the officer in bureaucratic limbo.

Gupta, currently holding the rank of Director General of Police, has found himself on the margins of Kerala’s power corridors after falling out of favour with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

A rare blend of policing and financial expertise, being both an IPS officer and a qualified cost and chartered accountant, Gupta had earlier earned the confidence of successive governments.

He served multiple terms as Managing Director of the Kerala State Beverages Corporation -- the sole wholesaler of liquor and beer in the state.

The turning point came during his tenure as head of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB). In a move that rattled the establishment, Gupta submitted case files related to K.M. Abraham, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, directly to the Kerala High Court.

The High Court subsequently ordered a CBI probe against Abraham in a disproportionate assets case, though the Supreme Court later stayed the investigation. The fallout was swift.

Gupta was removed from the Vigilance post and reassigned first to the Fire and Rescue Services and later shifted again, signalling a sharp decline in influence.

Since then, his Vigilance clearance has remained blocked, despite multiple reminders to Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak and even a complaint Gupta filed with the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell.

Ironically, Gupta has previously served full tenures with both the CBI and ED.

The CAT’s order is seen as a critical test case highlighting how bureaucratic careers in Kerala can be shaped and sometimes stymied by political equations.

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