by Manu Pubby

New Delhi: Amid a distant Rafale deal shadow, two senior bureaucrats handling finance in the defence ministry have been posted out, months after being appointed by the government. The replacement for the top position of the financial adviser (defence services), or FADS, is an officer from the rival audit and accounts service, something that has sent the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) cadre into a shock.

Madhulika Sukul, who took over as the FADS in August, has been moved as secretary to the Central Information Commission (CIC), while her husband Prashant has been posted to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). They are the senior-most officers of the IDAS and have earlier held appointments in various ministries.

Gargi Kaul, an Indian Audit and Accounts Service officer of the 1984 batch, will now head finance at the defence ministry.

Several officers of the IDAS, who spoke with ET, were surprised that an ‘outsider’ had been appointed to the senior-most position.

Traditionally, this post is reserved for the Services.


The Sukuls did not comment on their transfer, but said they were “extremely satisfied” with the postings. While Madhulika will join the CIC in the next few days, Prashant will move to the NCM in February.

While no official reason has been given for the reassignment, the move, sources said, has some Rafale shadow, with letters being circulated in the defence ministry in the past few weeks alleging a conflict of interest. Their close relative, Shantanu Sukul, a retired navy officer, was working with Pipavav Shipyard, which has been taken over by Reliance Defence, till September this year and had resigned from the post when the appointments took place.

In fact, Madhulika had informed the defence ministry about this potential conflict of interest and had recused herself from dealing with any case related to Reliance Defence at the time of her appointment to the top post.

The move also comes amid a simmering battle at the capital’s elite Gymkhana Club of which Prashant Sukul is current president.

The club, which counts senior bureaucrats, politicians and military officers as its members, has seen a fight that pertains to alleged financial irregularities in 2015-17 by ‘whistle blowers’. Sukul was not at the helm when the alleged irregularities took place.