Procedural deficiencies no opinion given UPSC on UP govt MHA cases against ex-IPS Amitabh Thakur

New Delhi, Feb 26 (PTI) The UPSC has informed that it received disciplinary references from the Uttar Pradesh government and the Home Ministry in matters relating to former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, but returned those due to "procedural and documentary deficiencies" with no opinion given, the Central Information Commission has said.
    While hearing a batch of RTI applications filed by Thakur, the CIC recorded the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC's) stand while dismissing the former IPS officer's appeals, which sought copies of references, opinions, note-sheets and correspondence relating to the disciplinary cases.
    Thakur was compulsorily retired on March 23, 2021, in "public interest" after the authorities found him "unfit" to continue for the remaining tenure of his service.
    He was arrested on December 10, 2025, over allegations that he abused his position as Deoria superintendent of police in 1999 to fraudulently secure an industrial plot in his wife's name using fabricated documents.
    Thakur has, however, claimed that his arrest was linked to his criticism of the state government over the cough syrup issue. The former IPS officer was granted bail earlier this month.
    The UPSC plays a mandatory advisory role in disciplinary matters involving IAS and IPS officers under Article 311 of the Constitution, requiring consultation before any dismissal or removal order is passed by the President following disciplinary proceedings.
    Quoting the UPSC's replies, the CIC said the Uttar Pradesh government sought advice through a letter dated September 22, 2020, which was returned on October 29 that year "due to non-availability of case records of the disciplinary proceeding".
    A subsequent reference dated January 21, 2021, was again returned on June 23, 2021, "due to some procedural/documentary deficiency," with the UPSC stating that "no opinion has been given in these cases."
    In another matter, the UP government's reference dated June 15, 2020, was returned on September 18, 2020, for "non-availability of case records of the disciplinary proceedings."
    With regard to the single reference received from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the CIC noted that the MHA forwarded the case to the UPSC on July 24, 2024, which was returned on July 25, 2024, "due to procedural/documentary deficiencies," adding that "no advice has been given by UPSC to the MHA."
    The CIC also recorded that the case was again forwarded by the MHA on May 20, 2025, and October 16, 2025, and returned on July 1, 2025, and October 16, 2025, respectively, on the same grounds.
    However, the UPSC had tendered its opinion in a UP government reference of March 2011. It clarified that all relevant records of that file had since been weeded out as per the record retention schedule.
    "The case of Amitabh Thakur, IPS, was received in the Commission on March 3, 2011, from the Government of UP. The Commission vide letter dated July 26, 2011, advised the government that since the charges constitute grave misconduct, it warranted major penalty proceedings and requested the disciplinary authority to institute such proceedings," the UPSC said.
    During the hearing, the UPSC submitted that "at present, no disciplinary case against Amitabh Thakur, IPS, is pending in the Commission," but maintained that disclosure of note-sheets and correspondence would "impede the progress of disciplinary proceedings as envisaged under Section 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act, 2005."

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)