Once hailed as the topper of the 1981 civil services batch, IAS Pradeep Shukla is now facing serious corruption charges. A first-class Master’s degree holder in Physics from Allahabad University, Shukla came from a humble background and secured a top rank in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. After finishing second at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, he was considered a promising officer. But who could have imagined that three decades later, Shukla would end up in jail.
The story of IAS officer Pradeep Shukla serves as a cautionary tale, explaining how a few wrong decisions and a unique work style, despite a promising start to his career, can tarnish an officer’s entire professional life. Shukla’s colleagues and seniors from his early postings remember him as a bright but somewhat unconventional officer. He would often go to the office at 8 pm or later and work through the night, making it difficult for his colleagues to coordinate with him. Till that time, he had not faced any allegations of corruption.
When did the downfall begin?
The most controversial period of Shukla’s career was between 2009 and 2011, when he served as the Principal Secretary of the Family Welfare Department and Mission Director of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in Uttar Pradesh. During this time, widespread irregularities in the implementation of the NRHM came to light, leading to a multi-crore rupee scam and a significant decline in health indicators.
Who is IAS Pradeep Shukla?
Shukla had an outstanding academic record. He completed his Master’s degree in Physics with first-class honours from Allahabad University. He then topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination in the 1981 batch. This gave him the opportunity to choose his cadre, and he opted for the Uttar Pradesh (UP) cadre. After the final performance evaluation at the Mussoorie IAS Academy, he finished at number 2, with Anuj Kumar Bishnoi becoming the batch topper. In 1983, his first posting was as an Executive Magistrate at the sub-divisional administrative level.
A PCS officer once described his working style as peculiar; he would sometimes arrive at the office at 8 pm or later and work through the night. His unconventional working style and unusual hours kept many people at a distance, but he was never accused of corruption in the early stages of his career. The biggest turning point in Shukla’s career came during the implementation of the NRHM.
How did he land up in jail?
Between 2009 and 2011, when massive irregularities came to light in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Shukla served as the Principal Secretary of the Family Welfare Department and the Mission Director of the NRHM. During this period, contracts were awarded without tenders, rules were disregarded, and the system completely collapsed. Shukla was responsible for making decisions regarding the implementation of the NRHM, implementing those decisions as the chairman of the executive committee, and overseeing them as the head of the program implementation committee. He controlled almost everything.
Irregularities in the implementation of the NRHM scheme came to light only after two chief medical officers were murdered one after the other. It was only then that the state government took notice. In April 2011, Shukla was removed from his post and subsequently imprisoned on serious corruption charges. After his arrest, he was produced before a CBI court in Ghaziabad and sent to judicial custody. In 2015, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court on medical grounds and later reinstated to his position. He was granted conditional bail again in 2017, under which he was required to deposit Rs 72 lakh within four weeks.
Wife and Son-in-law are also IAS officers
Shukla’s wife, Archana Shukla, is also an IAS officer. She is also posted in the UP cadre. Their daughter, Poulomi Pavini Shukla, was arrested at Delhi Airport in January 2013 in connection with a fake visa case. She is a lawyer by profession. Shukla’s son-in-law, Prashant Sharma, is a 2012 batch IAS officer. He is also posted in the Uttar Pradesh cadre. In 2019, he was removed from the post of Amethi’s District Magistrate after a complaint of misconduct.
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