Bengaluru: Senior IAS officer Subhash Chandra Khuntia will replace incumbent Arvind Jadhav as the next chief secretary of the state after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah gave the green signal. Arvind Jadhav’s term ends on September 30.

The CM opted for Khuntia for his ‘clean’ image. He was under severe pressure to choose between Khuntia and additional chief secretary K Ratnaprabha. The alleged land deals controversy surrounding Arvind Jadhav had put Siddaramaiah in a tight spot to select the next chief secretary. The appointment was done after careful deliberation to avoid any further embarrassment and damage to the image of the government.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau is currently probing Arvind Jadhav, who has been charged with manipulating government records with regard to a parcel of land bought by his mother.

Additional chief secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia is currently on Central deputation as Secretary, School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource and Development.