Manjunath Bhajantri Appointed as Ranchi's New Deputy Commissioner: A Look at His Controversial Past

Ranchi- The Jharkhand government has appointed new Deputy Commissioners in four districts, including Ranchi, ahead of the imminent announcement of the assembly elections. Additionally, two other IAS officers have been transferred.

According to official information, 2011 batch IAS officer Manjunath Bhajantri has been appointed as the new Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi. Prior to this, he was serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society. He also held the additional charge of MGNREGA Commissioner.

Shashi Prakash Singh, a 2017 batch IAS officer who was previously posted as the Director of Primary Education in Jharkhand, has been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Jamtara district.

Utkarsh Gupta, a 2017 batch IAS officer who served as the Director in the IT Department of the Jharkhand government, has been made the new Deputy Commissioner of Latehar district.

Manish Kumar, a 2018 batch IAS officer who was earlier posted as the Deputy Development Commissioner of East Singhbhum district, has been appointed as the Deputy Commissioner of Pakur district.

Pawan Kumar, a 2011 batch IAS officer and former Project Director of the Jharkhand State AIDS Control Society, has been transferred as the Commissioner of North Chotanagpur Division.

Ranjit Kumar Lal, a 2014 batch IAS officer who was previously posted as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel, Administrative Reforms, and Official Language, has been appointed as the Managing Director of the Jharkhand Urja Utpadan Nigam Limited (Jharkhand Energy Generation Corporation Limited).

Manjunath Bhajantri 's clashes with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey

Manjunath Bhajantri, an IIT-Bombay graduate from a rural background, is considered close to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. His previous position as Deputy Commissioner of Deoghar brought him into the limelight due to his repeated confrontations with BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. These disputes have made headlines, especially with Bhajantri filing over 37 FIRs against Dubey, involving both personal and political matters.

Bhajantri had a long stint in the central government before returning to Jharkhand. He served under the Modi government in various capacities, including roles such as Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Railways and Deputy Advisor at the NITI Aayog.

The tension between Bhajantri and Dubey escalated when, on August 31, 2022, Dubey, along with his sons, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, and others, were accused of entering the ATC building at Deoghar Airport without permission and forcing an unauthorized flight clearance. This incident resulted in an FIR being lodged by the airport security staff against Dubey and his associates.

In response, Dubey filed a "zero FIR" against Bhajantri in Delhi, accusing him of political bias and targeting him due to his proximity to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The battle didn't just remain in the legal sphere—it also played out on social media, with the two engaging in heated exchanges on Twitter.

Political and Legal Confrontation

Bhajantri and Dubey’s feud began in April 2021 during the by-elections in Madhupur, part of Dubey’s Godda parliamentary constituency. Bhajantri, serving as the District Election Officer (DEO) of Deoghar at the time, accused Dubey of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The Election Commission of India (ECI) later reprimanded Bhajantri for his delayed filing of the complaint, and the Commission even recommended disciplinary action against him. However, despite the ECI’s order, the Jharkhand government did not take any action, and Bhajantri remained in his post.

Nishikant Dubey has frequently accused Bhajantri of acting as a political agent for the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), particularly during election periods. Dubey claimed that out of the three districts in his constituency—Deoghar, Dumka, and Godda—only Deoghar, under Bhajantri's watch, had multiple FIRs filed against him and his family.

In response, Bhajantri has stood firm, stating that Dubey is a habitual lawbreaker and that every FIR was legitimate. He emphasized that Dubey could challenge the FIRs in court if he believed they were unjustified, but Bhajantri vowed to continue filing cases for any violations of the law.

As Manjunath Bhajantri takes over as Ranchi’s Deputy Commissioner, his history of handling politically charged situations will be closely watched, especially in the run-up to the state elections. His approach to governance in Ranchi, a critical district in Jharkhand, could have a significant impact on the election landscape.