Suspended Kerala IAS officer N. Prasanth refuses to back down, targets top officials again

IANS April 14, 2025 188 views

A suspended Kerala IAS officer N. Prasanth continues to challenge his suspension through bold public statements and social media revelations. His conflict with top state bureaucrats centers on allegations of procedural violations and demands for transparent hearings. Prasanth has consistently maintained that his actions represent a fight for accountability within the civil service system. His defiant stance suggests he is prepared to escalate the matter, potentially risking his entire government career.

"In today's age of Right to Information and transparency, what's so strange about such a request?" - N. Prasanth
Thiruvananthapuram, April 14: Suspended IAS officer N. Prasanth appears determined to stay defiant, even as his actions challenge the conduct rules governing civil servants.

Key Points

1

Suspended officer refuses to back down amid ongoing administrative conflict

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Demands live streaming of personal hearing

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Challenges Chief Secretary Sarada Muralidharan's decision-making

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Alleges procedural inconsistencies in suspension process

On Monday, Prasanth took to social media to launch a fresh attack against Chief Secretary Sarada Muralidharan, posting two official letters sent by her regarding a personal hearing scheduled for April 16 at 4.30 p.m. -- a hearing he himself had requested.

“In my letter dated February 10, I had requested that the hearing be recorded and streamed live. This request was accepted in the letter I received dated April 4,” Prasanth wrote.

“But in the letter dated April 11, my request was denied without any explanation. One fails to understand what changed in a week. The latest letter doesn’t mention anything unusual either,” he added.

Prasanth also took a dig at sections of the media that described his live-streaming demand as “strange”.

“In today's age of Right to Information and transparency, what’s so strange about such a request?” he asked.

The controversy surrounding Prasanth began in November last year, when he was suspended while serving as Special Secretary (Agriculture). He had then publicly expressed displeasure over the manner in which the suspension was handled, claiming he was not given a chance to explain his side. He even described the move as exhibiting “fascist tendencies”.

Defending his right to free expression, Prasanth said he had stayed within acceptable limits and asserted that the IAS was never his only ambition -- he had other interests too. His recent statements and persistent criticism suggest he is prepared to escalate the fight, even if it means quitting government service.

Prasanth’s suspension followed a social media post in which he publicly accused Additional Chief Secretary A. Jayathilak of violating official procedures, falsifying attendance, and staying absent from duty -- allegations he accompanied with Jayathilak’s photo.

Incidentally, Chief Secretary Muralidharan is set to retire on April 30, and Jayathilak is widely expected to succeed her.

Reader Comments

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Priya K.
Transparency should be the norm, not the exception! 👏 If they have nothing to hide, why not allow live streaming? Prasanth is raising valid questions about accountability in our bureaucracy.
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Rahul M.
While I admire his courage, going public with internal matters might not be the best approach. There are proper channels to raise grievances. This public spat damages public trust in the system.
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Sunita P.
This is why young people don't trust bureaucrats anymore. The system protects its own while crushing anyone who dares to speak up. More power to Prasanth! #TransparencyMatters
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Anand V.
As a retired government employee, I can say this situation is more complex than it appears. There are conduct rules for a reason. But the sudden reversal on live streaming does raise eyebrows...
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Meera S.
The timing is suspicious with the Chief Secretary retiring soon. Maybe someone doesn't want certain truths coming out before the transition? 🤔 Either way, citizens deserve to know what's happening.
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Karthik N.
While I support transparency, posting colleagues' photos with allegations crosses a line. There are better ways to fight corruption without personal attacks. The ends don't always justify the means.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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Tags:
N Prasanth Kerala IAS Government Transparency Civil Service Controversy Sarada Muralidharan A Jayathilak
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