2012-batch IAS officer Ritesh Kumar Agrawal is new CEO
Raipur
Chhattisgarh government has removed IAS Sameer Vishnoi from CHiPS following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate. He has been replaced by Ritesh Kumar Agrawal will be the new CEO
The General Administration Department has appointed 2012-batch IAS officer Ritesh Kumar Agrawal as the Chief Executive Officer of CHiPS. Agrawal Ritesh is at present holding the post of Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Text Book Corporation.
Vishnoi, a 2009-batch IAS officer, was made the CEO of CHiPS in January this year. In September, he was also given the additional responsibility of Managing Director of Markfed. The Central Government’s investigative agency ED had raided across the state on the morning of October 11 including action against Sameer Vishnoi.
During the search, Rs 47 lakh cash and jewellery worth over Rs 2 crore were recovered from Vishnoi’s house. Later the agency arrested Vishnoi and took him on remand for eight days. He is being interrogated. Meanwhile, the ED team has searched the Raipur location headquarters of CHiPS thrice. Vishnoi’s remand period ends on October 21.
In Chhattisgarh, government procures paddy through Markfed. For the first time this year, it is starting from November 1. Vishnoi was the Managing Director of Markfed. He is in ED custody for a week. So the system is getting affected there. It is being told that new MD is being appointed there too.
On October 11, ED raids were conducted in Raigarh, Raipur, Bilaspur, Korba and Mahasamund districts of Chhattisgarh. Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials had reached late night in these major cities and raids were conducted at different locations at 5:00 am. At the same time, ED officials were taking action by forming different teams at more than 10 places. The places where raids have been conducted include businessmen and CAs. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has described this raid as an attempt to scare. He said, this is not the last. They will come again and again till the elections.
On October 13, the ED arrested the Chief Executive Officer of Chips and IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and presented him in the court. However, the ED team had sought 14 days remand. The court had said in its decision that the interrogation would take place in the presence of lawyers in Raipur.
