LUCKNOW — What began as a disagreement over a departmental cricket tournament escalated into a full-blown administrative crisis on Thursday at the Income Tax office in Lucknow, when two Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers — Joint Commissioner Yogendra Kumar Mishra and Deputy Commissioner Gaurav Garg — reportedly came to physical blows in front of senior officials. The trigger? A grudge dating back to a February cricket match, during which Mishra allegedly demanded to be made team captain and threatened to derail the event if denied.
The match, part of a routine departmental morale-building activity, devolved into a series of formal complaints. According to Garg’s statement to police, Mishra became increasingly confrontational after being denied leadership of the cricket team, eventually lying down on the pitch and threatening to halt play. Over a dozen internal complaints later, Mishra was transferred to Uttarakhand — but the feud didn’t end there.
From Field to FIR: Allegations of Assault, Intimidation, and Revenge
On May 29, Mishra allegedly stormed into the sixth-floor office of the Principal Chief Commissioner (PCC) during a farewell function and attacked Garg in front of other officials. Garg’s FIR claims Mishra grabbed him by the throat, threw a glass tumbler, punched him repeatedly, kicked him, and injured his nose, lips, and a tooth. Mishra, however, denied these allegations and countered with explosive claims of character assassination and institutional retaliation.
Police have registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempt to murder (109(1)), causing hurt to a public servant (121(2)), criminal intimidation (351(3)), and obstruction of duty (221). Sections of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have also been invoked.
Gifted Properties of IAS, IPS, IRS Officers Under Govt Scanner in Major Anti-Corruption Drive
In his social media rebuttal, Mishra alleged that he was being targeted for reporting irregularities in tax investigations conducted under Garg’s tenure in Kanpur. “This is a vendetta,” Mishra wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He further accused a journalist of blackmailing him with a video of a past altercation, allegedly demanding ₹50,000 in hush money.
Bureaucracy Under Fire: When Governance Becomes Personal
This case has brought to light troubling dynamics within India’s bureaucratic machinery, raising questions about workplace governance, internal redressal mechanisms, and professional decorum. While departmental sports are meant to foster camaraderie, the IRS clash illustrates how unresolved personal egos and institutional failures can erode morale and escalate into public embarrassment.
What is equally concerning is the claim that an internal matter — which could have been settled administratively — reached the point of physical assault and criminal charges. While both officers remain in service, the episode casts a shadow over the IRS and could set a dangerous precedent in bureaucratic conflict resolution.
As the investigation continues, the government faces growing pressure to intervene and restore credibility. But for now, the IRS appears entangled in an unbecoming turf war — one that started on a cricket pitch and now threatens institutional integrity.