MANESAR, April 29– Just a day after a sweeping contractor accused Municipal Commissioner Renu Sogan of corruption, the Haryana government transferred the IAS officer in a late-night order, triggering sharp debate over contractor influence and political pressure in local governance.
The controversy erupted when Sogan, citing repeated complaints from residents and elected officials, levied a penalty of Rs 4.5 crore on contractor Shishpal Singh Rana of Akanksha Enterprises for failing to deploy adequate manpower and equipment for street sweeping operations in Manesar.
“The sweeping was not up to the mark. He was not providing enough manpower, and after repeated warnings, he was fined,” said Sogan, pointing to written complaints from the local mayor and MLA Bimla Chowdhary.
Following the imposition of the penalty, Rana submitted a formal complaint to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday, alleging a larger pattern of corruption among senior officials of the Manesar Municipal Corporation.
In his complaint, Rana accused Sogan and others of withholding payments, levying arbitrary fines, and demanding bribes to release bills. He claimed that over Rs 8.5 crore in dues were stuck—two months awaiting administrative clearance and two months allegedly blocked over “corrupt motives.”
“Every stage of the project, I have been forced to pay bribes, and I have complete documentary evidence of these transactions,” Rana wrote. “The officials have systematically exploited the system, threatening to ruin my business if I don’t bow to their illegal demands.”
Within 24 hours of the complaint, the state government issued Sogan’s transfer orders, removing her from her post without public explanation.
Sogan denied the corruption charges, calling the complaint a retaliatory move intended to silence officials who resist pressure. “He is a non-performer and has a history of being blacklisted,” she said. “He tried to pressurise me to let things pass, which I didn’t. We will be recommending his blacklisting from our authority as well.”
She further pointed out that Rana had been previously blacklisted in Jharkhand, questioning his credibility. A senior official named in Rana’s complaint echoed similar concerns, alleging that the contractor had long relied on political backing to escape accountability.
“There has been a pattern of arm-twisting and manipulation,” the official said. “He’s had undue influence for too long.”
The developments have triggered public reaction, with several Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Manesar stepping forward in support of the transferred commissioner. Residents have demanded an impartial inquiry into the contractor’s operations and his political connections.
“The commissioner acted in the public’s interest,” said Rajiv Malhotra, an RWA leader. “This sudden transfer looks like a punishment for doing her job.”
The Chief Minister’s Office has reportedly taken cognisance of the matter and initiated a preliminary review, though no official statement has been issued so far.
As investigations proceed, the episode has laid bare the fraught intersections of politics, local governance, and private contractors—raising questions about the balance of power in urban civic administration.
