LUCKNOW: A group of female officers working under an IAS officer of the 2018 batch have levelled serious allegations of harassment, exploitation, and intimidation against him in a detailed letter written to UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
The officer is currently posted as Additional Commissioner in the Noida office of the Uttar Pradesh State Tax Department (GST). The female workers have accused him of persistent inappropriate behaviour and abuse of authority.
The written complaint, dated August 5, 2025, outlines a series of troubling incidents that have been continuing for the last four months since the said IAS officer assumed charge in the Noida zone.
According to the complaint, the IAS officer keeps staring at the female officers for hours, often making them sit or stand in his office unnecessarily. He has also been accused of making repeated late-night video calls to women staff members and using abusive and threatening language, including remarks like, “If you won’t obey the orders, I’ll get you fired and make you go around with a begging bowl.”
He has also been accused by the female staff officers of secretly recording their videos in the office. In the complaint, the female staff members claimed that the said officer used to punish the dissenting officers by implicating them in false charges like negligence or information leaks.
The letter also claimed that the IAS officer created an environment of fear and subjugation, and that any female officer who objected was threatened with suspension or disciplinary action.
The complaint has been sent not only to the Chief Minister but also copied to State Governor Anandiben Patel, the UP State Women’s Commission, the UP Chief Secretary, the Additional Chief Secretary (CM’s Office), the Additional Chief Secretary (State Tax Department), and the Commissioner of State Tax, Lucknow.
The women officers, part of the Flying Squad and Sector units, stated that they were compelled to escalate the matter due to the worsening work environment and the lack of internal redressal mechanisms.
“We are forced to write this letter with a heavy heart. On one side, the government promotes ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’, and on the other, officers like Sandeep Bhagia are crushing the dignity of women,” said the letter.
The female officers demanded a confidential investigation, preferably by the State Women’s Commission or an independent inquiry agency. Sources confirmed that the government had received the public complaint and issued instructions to initiate a probe into the allegations against the IAS officer.
This complaint from the female officers has come just weeks after the suspension of seven officers in a separate harassment case, putting workplace safety and abuse of power in the spotlight.
The said IAS officer, originally from Lucknow, comes from a humble background. His father is a sevadar at Shiv Shanti Ashram.