Mulayam honours SC verdict, Neera Yadav goes

NEW DELHI: Neera Yadav's name had once figured in the second position on a list of Uttar Pradesh's most corrupt officials in 1997.  Yet, the Mulayam Singh government had promoted her to the position of the Chief Secretary of the state.  But now, Neera Yadav will have to vacate her chair within a week. Yadav will be the third Chief Secretary of UP to be shunted out from office within a span of three years.

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Mulayam Singh government to remove Yadav, who is facing 23 departmental proceedings and has also been charge sheeted in five corruption cases by the CBI.

The apex court's order came in response to a writ petition filed by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL). Expressing satisfaction over this much-awaited order, lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the court has emphasised that a person who enjoys doubtful integrity must not be given any sensitive post.

The bench comprising Justices Ruma Pal, Arijit Pasayat and C K Thakker, however asked the Allahabad HC to dispose of within three months a plea by the 1971 batch IAS officer seeking her discharge in a corruption case.

"The elevation of Neera Yadav is not only immoral but also illegal since it is violative of the rules governing promotion of public servants under suspension or in respect of whom disciplinary proceedings or criminal cases are pending,'' the petitioners had said.

UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav said from Lucknow that the SC order would be implemented.  And keeping to the promise, the UP government shifted her to the less significant post of Chairman, Revenue Board. Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Employment, R Ramani has been given additional charge of Chief Secretary, an official release said.

However, the former Chief Secretary, when contacted refused to comment.

Who is Neera Yadav?

She is the wife of BJP MLA Mahinder Singh Yadav

She was chargesheeted by the CBI in a land scam when she was chairperson-cum-chief executive officer of Noida Yadav allegedly reprimanded a couple of officials who had joined the Uttar Pradesh IAS Action Group against corrupt officials

Her predecessors

Devender Singh Bagga, Chief Secretary during the Mayawati government's tenure had to leave office after facing suspension in the Taj Heritage Corridor case

Akhand Pratap Singh resigned following adverse observation by the Supreme Court. Singh was Chief Secretary during the present regime and he was under fire after his post-retirement extension for three months