Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court heard petitions challenging the orders sending Indian Police Service officers Neeru Garg and Arun Mohan Joshi on deputation to the Central Government. After hearing arguments from both sides, the division bench decided to continue the hearing the next day. The court asked both parties to examine the Central Administrative Tribunal’s decision and the rules related to transfers.
The hearing took place before a division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Subhash Upadhyay. Earlier, the High Court had referred the matter to the Central Administrative Tribunal, against which the state government filed petitions in the High Court. The state side argued that the concerned officers are eligible to go on deputation to the Central Government.
Challenge to Central Deputation Orders
According to the case, 2005-batch IPS officer Neeru Garg was issued an order to be posted as Inspector General (DIG) in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Meanwhile, 2006-batch IPS officer and Inspector General-rank officer Arun Mohan Joshi was appointed as Deputy Inspector General in the Border Security Force.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued the deputation-related orders on March 5, 2026. Following this, the Uttarakhand government issued orders relieving both officers on March 6, 2026. These orders have been challenged by the officers in the High Court.
During the hearing, the court asked the Central and State Governments how many deputation posts are designated for officers of that level and how many of them are permanent. In response, it was stated that there are 16 such posts where deployment to the Centre can be made on a deputation basis, while the remaining posts remain under the state government. The hearing in the matter continues.
Petition of Ram Vilas Yadav Also Heard
The Uttarakhand High Court also heard a petition filed in the disproportionate assets case involving former officer Ram Vilas Yadav. The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Subhash Upadhyay continued the hearing and fixed the next date for October 29. The court directed the state government to submit details of the investigation conducted thus far in the matter by that date.
Ram Vilas Yadav had served as Additional Secretary in the Social Welfare Department of the Uttarakhand Government and earlier as Secretary of the Lucknow Development Authority under the Uttar Pradesh Government. A complaint regarding disproportionate assets was filed against him by an individual in Lucknow, based on which the Uttarakhand Government initiated an inquiry.
During the inquiry, the vigilance team raided locations in Lucknow, Dehradun, and Ghazipur. According to reports, documents related to disproportionate assets were found during this time, and certain properties were discovered to be in his wife’s name. The inquiry claimed assets were roughly 500 times disproportionate to known sources of income, based on which the government registered a case.
Ram Vilas Yadav has filed a petition in the High Court seeking to quash the government order registering the case. The court has now demanded details of the investigation’s progress and actions taken so far from the government.
