After the Uttar Pradesh Economic Offence Wing, in its initial investigations, found his suspicious role into the EPF scam Union Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare Secretary Sanjay Agarwal (IAS:1984:UP) proceeded on leave. Further, the NaMo administration on Thursday assigned the additional charge of Agriculture to Rural Development Secretary Amarjit Sinha (IAS:1983:BH).

Earlier, it was believed that Agarwal, in addition to Union Urban Development Secretary D S Mishra (IAS:1984:UP), was in race for UP Chief Secretary post. Reportedly, Agarwal is out of race as he may be chargesheeted now whereas D S Mishra remains the alone claimant of CS. Those in the know of the affairs say that in the new scenario the Yogi Govt may draft R K Tiwari (IAS:1985:UP) as full-fledged Chief Secretary of UP. Tiwari has been in the additional charge of CS since September 01, 2019.   

It may be underlined that Agarwal was among five officials who took the decision to invest a portion of the PF in the stressed Dewan Housing and Finance Limited (DHFL). He was the Chairman of the UP Power Employees Trust (UPPET) and the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) during the period 2013-2017.

EOW has already arrested three of the five officials present at the meeting on March 22, 2017 – just three days after the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP formed the government in UP. It may be underlined that a few days before the meeting, Rs 18 crore was transferred to DHFL. UPPET invested Rs 2,631 crore in DHFL, which has been investigated for alleged links with mafia don Dawood Ibrahim.