Kerala IAS officer B Ashok, who recently obtained a stay from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on the government order posting him as the head of Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC), has said in his petition that the state government had targeted him for extraneous reasons and pressure.

In the petition filed before the CAT bench, Ashok has alleged that Chief Secretary A Jayathilak has continued to take a vindictive attitude against him. He said Jayathilak refused to give him a vigilance clearance report in June 2025 when he applied for deputation to the post of Chief Controller, VSSC, Department of Space.

According to Ashok, the refusal to provide the clearance despite the fact that there had not been any vigilance cases or disciplinary action against him, spoke volumes of the malice harboured by the Chief Secretary. He also cited that the former Chief Secretary had issued a clearance certificate in September 2022 without any adverse remarks. However, Jayathilak issued a certificate in July 2025, referring to a vigilance case regarding irregularities in the sanction of pay and allowance in the Ayush department.

It was also noted that the inquiry was completed and the report was sent to the Government recommending no further action. The CS also pointed out that the final decision will be in accordance with the decision in the case pending before the Lokayukta. Ashok was then forced to submit a representation to the CS to rectify this statement, and the correction was made only after the last date prescribed for the submission of the application for the post in VSSC.

He also alleged that the unauthorised access of the IT network of the Department of Agriculture constituted offences under the IT Act and are indicative of the insidious moves on the part of the CS and the state government.

As per the order issued by the General Administration Department on August 30, Tinku Biswal was posted as the Agricultural Production Commissioner, replacing Ashok. It was directed that Biswal shall hold the full additional charges of Principal Secretary, Agriculture Department and Principal Secretary, Transport Department. Ashok, who was the Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department, was placed at the disposal of the Transport Department for being appointed as Chairman and Managing Director, KTDFC.

According to the petition, Ashok was never communicated with directly about the order, and he came to know about the posting via a message posted in the official group of the IAS Association. He has also levelled allegations against Tinku Biswal, saying that the Chief Secretary acted hand in glove with her to make sure that Ashok did not approach the tribunal against the transfer order. Ashok said Biswal had sent a communication on September 1 to the Accountant General (AG) stating that she had assumed charge in the Agriculture Department. He wondered how Tinku Biswal assumed charge of two separate posts in the Agriculture Department on the forenoon of August 30, when the transfer was issued only at 11.23am the same day. According to him, the letter to the AG was a subtle attempt to displace him from the cadre posts by resorting to subterfuge.

Ashok has also slammed the KTDFC, calling it dormant and out of business. "The company is struggling to pay the regular employees and contractual staff, and also meet the operational and maintenance expenses of the limited properties held by it. When even the current employees are paid their salaries only by the fag end of the month, it is neither practical nor required to afford an officer at the pay level of Principal Secretary to the Government. It is wholly inconceivable as to how the appointment of a Chairman and Managing Director at a senior level can provide any assistance to the company in any tangible manner, as the only work at hand is to return the defaulted deposits worth ₹128 crore and service the liabilities in the absence of an approved revival plan," the petition read. Ashok said that he was appointed to the post of KTDFC MD, which carries a pay scale (₹51,300-73,000) less than the one drawn by him in the cadre post ( ₹1.8-2.24 lakh).

The CAT issued an order on September 9, staying the operation of the government order and directing that Ashok will continue to hold his present posts. The case is next posted on September 16. Ashok's scathing comments against the fellow IAS officer and CS have surfaced even as the suspended IAS officer N Prasanth continues to level serious allegations against Jayathilak.