Terminated in Ahmedabad, appointed in Gandhinagar: Controversial posting of new chief fire officer sparks row

The appointment of Om Jadeja as Chief Fire Officer (CFO) in Gandhinagar has triggered outrage following revelations about his prior dismissal for submitting forged documents to join the fire services.

The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) terminated Jadeja along with eight other officers including three Divisional Fire Officers for using bogus sponsorship certificates to gain admission to the National Fire Service College (NFSC), Nagpur, and subsequently securing jobs in the fire department 

In May 2024 the suspended officers were directed to submit written defenses within a week during an ongoing vigilance probe. 

Orders were issued to terminate nine officials and staff members, including three Divisional Fire Officers. Although the Gujarat High Court initially ruled in favor of these officials, the corporation challenged the verdict in the High Court’s Division Bench. A final decision is still pending in that appeal.

In this ongoing legal context, Om Jadeja’s appointment as Chief Fire Officer in Gandhinagar has become highly controversial. To officially take charge in Gandhinagar, he would need to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the previous corporation.

Furthermore, since the officer is currently serving on probation, his resignation would need to be approved either by the Staff Selection Committee or the Standing Committee.