Bareilly: Less than two days after taking charge as sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Shahjahanpur’s Powayan, IAS officer Rinku Singh Rahi was transferred by the Uttar Pradesh government.
The sudden move followed a viral video showing him performing sit-ups in public, as a symbolic gesture to highlight poor sanitation at the tehsil office.
A video of the incident, widely shared on social media, featured Rahi doing sit-ups in front of lawyers after filthy public toilets were pointed out to him. “I took responsibility because I was the senior-most officer. If seniors lead by example, systems improve,” Rahi said.
Have a look at the viral clip here:
On the same day, he cancelled two unpublicised land auctions, citing the lack of public announcements as a technical omission that could compromise transparency. The auctions were related to village fish ponds and cattle shed land in Simra Viran. “More people deserve the chance to participate in such auctions. My decision may have upset some people,” he told TOI.
He also directed revenue officials to act on encroachments and warned that FIRs would be filed if notices were not issued within 15 days. Plans were underway to digitise tehsil records and create WhatsApp groups in every village to monitor absentee officials and address complaints openly. “People shouldn’t have to file RTIs to get basic information,” he said.
'I'll Not Tolerate Wrongdoing'
Shahjahanpur District Magistrate Dharmendra Pratap Singh confirmed the transfer but said it was initiated by the state government. “I have no idea about the precise reason behind it,” he told TOI. When asked if the video led to his removal, Rahi said, “Could be, but I will serve wherever I’m posted. I’ll not tolerate wrongdoing.”
Rahi, a 2022-batch IAS officer, survived a shooting in 2009 after exposing a Rs 100-crore scam as a provincial officer. Left blind in one eye, he went on to clear the UPSC exam under the PwBD quota in 2022. His tenure in Powayan lasted just 36 hours.
