Charge sheet issued against suspended Bareilly city magistrate Alankar Agnihotri

Bareilly (PTI): A charge sheet has been issued against suspended Bareilly City Magistrate Alankar Agnihotri and forwarded to the District Magistrate of Shamli for service, officials said on Friday.

Agnihotri had announced his resignation citing alleged hurt over the new University Grants Commission (UGC) rules.

Divisional Commissioner of Bareilly, Bhupendra S Chaudhary, who is the inquiry officer in the case, said the charge sheet was received from the state government's appointment section on February 4 and has been sent to the Shamli District Magistrate the following day to be served on Agnihotri.

According to officials, the document serves as an administrative charge sheet rather than a criminal one filed in court. The charge sheet has been issued against Agnihotri as part of a departmental action.

Agnihotri was suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government on charges of indiscipline on January 26, the day he tendered his resignation. He was subsequently attached to the office of the District Magistrate, Shamli. The divisional commissioner has given Agnihotri 15 days to submit his reply.

"If no response is received within the stipulated time, it will be presumed that he has nothing to say in his defence," Divisional Commissioner Chaudhary said, adding that the inquiry report will be submitted to the government within the prescribed timeframe.

Agnihotri had resigned from the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) on Republic Day over the new UGC rules and the reported insult of Swami Avimukteshwaranand, alleging that the government was "anti-Brahmin".

He had also accused Bareilly District Magistrate Avinash Singh of confining him for 45 minutes and staged a protest at the collectorate gate. Following a recommendation by the District Magistrate for disciplinary action, the state government suspended him and ordered a departmental inquiry.

According to officials, the charge sheet includes three main allegations: making objectionable statements against the Central and state governments, issuing caste-based remarks despite being a government servant, and participating in a protest and slogan-shouting in violation of service conduct rules.

The inquiry is being conducted by the Bareilly Divisional Commissioner as directed by the state government.