Who is Sanjeev Khirwar? IAS officer shunted over dog-walking in Delhi stadium returns as MCD commissioner
In May 2022, while Sanjeev Khirwar was serving as Delhi's principal secretary (revenue), he allegedly cleared the Thyagraj Stadium complex and closed it early in the evening for athletes and coaches training so that he and his wife “could walk his dog”..
IAS officer Sanjeev Khirwar, 1994-batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with immediate effect.
The appointment was notified through an official order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday and communicated to the office of the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.
Khirwar takes charge at a time when the civic body is preparing to present its budget before the Municipal Corporation House later this month and is dealing with key administrative and financial challenges.
The commissioner plays a central role in overseeing the corporation's daily functions, implementing policies and coordinating with various departments.
Who is Sanjeev Khirwar?
Sanjeev Khirwar is an Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre IAS officer who came into the public eye following the 2022 Thyagraj Stadium dog‑walking controversy.
In May 2022, while Khirwar was serving as Delhi's Principal Secretary (Revenue), he allegedly cleared the Thyagraj Stadium complex and closed it early in the evening for athletes and coaches training so that he and his wife “could walk his dog”.
Ajit Chaudhary, the Thyagraj administrator, had refuted the allegations, saying that the official time for athletes to train was till 7 pm. Khirwar had also denied the allegations, terming them “absolutely incorrect”.
However, athletes claimed they usually trained until 8.30 PM, but were forced to wrap up by 7 pm because of the Khirwar.
Following the allegations, he was transferred from Delhi to Ladakh, where he served as Principal Secretary for Health and Medical Education.
Between 2009 and 2014, Khirwar served as private secretary to the Union Minister for Women and Child Development.
Following the 2022 row, his wife, Rinku Dugga, also a 1994 batch IAS officer, was transferred to Arunachal Pradesh. She served as the Principal Secretary of the Indigenous Affairs Department there.
Dugga, according to a Times of India report, was compulsorily retired by the Union Home Ministry in September 2023.