Rahi was attached to the UP Revenue Board in July last year after a video purportedly showing him performing sit-ups while holding ears amid a protest by lawyers in Shahjahanpur went viral on social media.

Terming his resignation a moral decision, Rahi said in the system, there is perhaps a special kind of punishment reserved for honest types of people – they get paid, but no work is assigned to them. In such a situation, it is inevitable to raise the question – how can receiving a salary without performing any work be justified under the values of integrity? This, too, is a form of corruption, he added.

Taking serious note of the sit-ups, the state government sought a detailed report from the DM on the incident. Following the submission of report, Rahi was relieved of his duties as SDM and attached to the Revenue Board in Lucknow. Rahi was appointed as the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Puwayan in Shahjahanpur on July 28, 2025. He was removed from his post just 36 hours after assuming charge.