Tussle with minister: IAS greenhorn shunted

GUNTUR: Tenali sub-collector Manjule Balaji Digambar, a newly recruited IAS officer, and minister M V Ramana Rao are locked in a bitter dispute after the latter intervened in his action against fair price shop deals induling in illegal sale of kerosene.As a fallout of the dispute, the young officer has been transferred on disciplinary grounds. While the IAS officer alleged he was shunted out for obstructing the kerosene racket, the minister says the government took action against the officer following corruption charges against him.It all started when Digambar cancelled the licences of two ration shop dealers following allegations that they diverted kerosene to mechanised boats at Nizampatnam port. The dealers reportedly approached excise and prohibition minister M V Ramana Rao who asked the sub-collector to consider their plea and revive their licences. But the officer turned down the request. A news report appeared in a Telugu daily levelling corruption charges against Digambar following which the sub-collector convened a press conference on Wednesday to supply a clarification. “This is my first posting after joining the Civil Services and I am trying to do my bit for society. The reports were published at the behest of the minister to malign my name. I do not need corrupt money; the government pays me a handsome salary. Let them come out in open and prove these allegations,” Digambar told Express. He said the minister was trying to shield his supporters who are diverting essential commodities meant for the poor.After the press conference, chief secretary Pankaj Dwivedi summoned the young officer to Hyderabad Wednesday night and asked for an explanation for making derogatory remarks against a minister. The sub-collector reportedly refused to retract his allegations, following which the government issued his transfer orders and told him to report to Hyderabad immediately.Minister Ramana Rao denied the allegations levelled by Digamber. “I don’t need to take revenge against the sub-collector for the sake of some PDS dealers. I only asked him to consider their request. However, it is true I took up corruption charges against him with the chief minister,” he said.