Suspended IAS officer Prasanth demands overdue promotion, accuses Kerala top brass of conspiracy

Thiruvananthapuram: Suspended Kerala IAS officer N. Prasanth has intensified his public confrontation with Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan, demanding immediate action on his long-pending promotion. Prasanth, a 2007-batch officer, took to Facebook on Thursday to detail his meeting with Muraleedharan, which followed a formal hearing.

Prasanth was suspended after levelling serious allegations against senior bureaucrats, including Additional Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak (1991-batch), IAS officer K. Gopalakrishnan (2013-batch), and Muraleedharan herself. He had earlier issued legal notices against them, accusing them of fabricating charges and conspiring against him.

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In his Facebook post, Prasanth stated, “I brought to their attention my promotion which has been hanging fire since 2022, as the rule states promotion issues should be settled in a matter of six months. I want to get my promotion and each file should not turn out to be one, where one’s life is at stake.”

Addressing speculation around action on his social media posts, he added, “To initiate action against the FB post I made is foolhardy and against the All India Service rules and to commence another probe should not be done.”

Prasanth called for criminal proceedings against Jayathilak, Gopalakrishnan, and Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, accusing them of conspiracy and the fabrication of documents. “A case should be registered against Jayathilak, Gopalakrishnan and Mathurbhumi newspaper for conspiring against me and for making fake documents,” he wrote.

He further cautioned the state government, saying, “The rule of law is also applicable to the Government and it should not behave in a manner that those aggrieved can resort to legal redress. This does not augur well for governance. Till now I have not filed any case against the government and please do not open an avenue for that.”

He concluded: “My appeal is that there need be no hurry to revoke my suspension without addressing all these issues which I have raised.”

Social media post laced with cultural references

The Facebook post was accompanied by a popular meme featuring Malayalam actor Mohanlal from the film Akkare Akkare Akkare, hinting at self-reliance. His post also referenced a well-known film dialogue, “Nna Thaan Case Kodu” (If so, sue me), implying the government’s threats of legal action were counterproductive to good governance.

Backdrop: Enquiry report and contested charges

The controversy stems from an enquiry report allegedly prepared by Jayathilak, which accuses Prasanth of misplacing documents related to the Unnathi project during his time as CEO, irregularities in his attendance, and violations of conduct rules through social media posts.

Prasanth has rejected these claims, insisting that the case rests on unreliable digital evidence and lacks procedural or legal integrity. He has blamed both Jayathilak and Gopalakrishnan for orchestrating his suspension.

The matter is further complicated as Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan is set to retire on April 30. Jayathilak is widely expected to succeed her, a development that could influence the ongoing dispute.

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