In a decisive move enforcing administrative conduct rules, the central government has handed compulsory retirement to controversial Gujarat cadre IAS officer Gaurav Dahiya. The officer, who had previously drawn attention for earning a medical degree from a premier institute and securing an impressive rank in the civil services examination, saw his career derailed following multiple controversies regarding his personal conduct. The Department of Personnel and Training reached the decision to retire him compulsorily after an extensive scrutiny of his official service record.
From Medical Graduate to Civil Service Top Ranker
Originally hailing from Sector-4 in Gurugram, Haryana, Gaurav Dahiya built a notable academic background before entering the civil services. In 2007, he graduated with an MBBS degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi. Following his medical training, he chose to transition toward public administration and began preparing for the Union Public Service Commission examinations.
Securing an all-India rank of 76 in the examination, Dahiya joined the Indian Administrative Service as an officer of the 2010 batch allocated to the Gujarat cadre. His initial postings saw him entrusted with substantial responsibilities across state departments, combining his professional background with public governance tasks.
Key Postings Across State Administration
Throughout his tenure in the Gujarat administration, Dahiya served in several prominent bureaucratic positions. He was appointed as the Mission Director for the National Health Mission, overseeing public healthcare initiatives and system management across the state. Furthermore, he handled administrative and local governance duties as District Development Officer in the districts of Banaskantha and Patan.
While his early years in administration progressed smoothly, subsequent allegations relating to his personal conduct created widespread scrutiny in administrative circles. Before the order of compulsory retirement was finalized, he served as the Additional Development Commissioner in Gandhinagar. A detailed assessment of his overall service profile by central authorities ultimately led to the invocation of compulsory retirement provisions.
Marital Disputes, Suspension, and Counter-Allegations
Major turbulence struck Dahiya's career after a Delhi-based woman came forward with serious allegations against him. The complainant alleged that Dahiya solemnized a second marriage with her in Tirupati on February 28, 2018, without dissolving his first marriage through a legal divorce. She also stated that the two had a daughter together. As the allegations received wide public attention, the Gujarat administration constituted a high-level inquiry panel to examine the matter.
Following findings submitted by the inquiry committee, the Gujarat government placed Dahiya under suspension in August 2019. In his defence, Dahiya denied having entered into a second marriage, maintaining that he had been in a relationship with the woman and alleging that he was being blackmailed after falling victim to a honey trap. Although his suspension was revoked in 2023 leading to a fresh posting in Gandhinagar, continuing reviews of civil service conduct and administrative discipline culminated in the decision to order his compulsory retirement.
