Ujjain civic officer faces inquiry over unauthorized Thailand trip as Madhya Pradesh tightens oversight

A municipal building officer in Ujjain is facing a departmental inquiry after travelling abroad to Thailand without securing required official permission. The trip came to light after social media videos emerged showing the official and his wife in Thailand, but local authorities confirmed that the primary regulatory concern centers on compliance with service rules governing foreign travel by public servants.

Rajkumar Rathore, who serves as the building officer for Zones 1, 2, and 3 under the Ujjain Municipal Corporation, took leave between 19 October and 23 October. However, municipal authorities noted that his leave application did not declare any intention to travel abroad. Government service rules mandate that public officials obtain prior clearance from competent authorities before departing the country.

Ujjain Municipal Commissioner Abhilash Mishra stated that the matter is being examined and formal departmental proceedings will follow if rule violations are established.

Broad drive for municipal accountability

The inquiry coincides with a comprehensive administrative cleanup led by the Madhya Pradesh Urban Development Department to eliminate financial mismanagment and enforce procurement discipline across local civic bodies.

Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Dubey announced that state authorities have taken action against 392 municipal personnel following rigorous internal audits. The state's proactive oversight has already resulted in the recovery of ₹3 crore to ₹4 crore in public funds and disciplinary measures against over 80 contractors and suppliers.

To ensure complete transparency, the department conducted dedicated sensitisation workshops in April to train local staff on strict procurement limits and price verifications, catching inflated invoices and discrepancies before payments were processed.

Swift enforcement measures

State officials clarified that corrective actions began well before old training video clips detailing these administrative checks surfaced publicly. The state government has moved swiftly to ensure public resources are managed responsibly and transparently across all municipal administrative zones.

While opposition figures raised questions regarding earlier procurement figures, state officials emphasised that the department's internal oversight system successfully identified these anomalies, halted unauthorized payments, and established clear accountability mechanisms across all municipal bodies in Madhya Pradesh.