Overruling unanimous recommendation of state’s Chief Secretary Asha Swroop and two additional Chief Secretaries, who were members of a high-level review committee, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has ordered reinstatement of suspended IAS officer Sanjay Gupta.

Gupta, a 1988 batch IAS officer, is facing two separate vigilance cases: one relating to bribery charges registered after he was arrested with a cash of Rs 2 lakh in July 2009 and the other pertaining to his disproportionate assets. Prior to his suspension, Gupta was managing director of two government PSUs.

The state’s personnel department, which had submitted the file to the Chief Minister’s office proposing extension of Gupta’s suspension for another three months, on Monday instead issued Gupta’s reinstatement orders.

A senior official in the department confirmed that Gupta had been reinstated. “Orders regarding his reinstatement have been issued, but posting will be decided later,” he said.

Last week, a panel headed by the Chief Secretary and having two additional Chief Secretaries had recommended extension of his suspension for another three months since the officer had two vigilance cases pending against him, and he also happened to be on bail after his arrests twice.

Gupta’s suspension was to end on October 9 and the committee on October 8 decided against revocation of the suspension order, keeping in view a report submitted by the Director General Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Speaking to The Indian Express on Sunday evening, Dhumal admitted that he had proposed reinstatement of the officer and orders would be issued soon. “His (IAS officer’s) parents had also met me a few days back,” he added.

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