Who Is Sanjeev Khirwar? The IAS Officer From The Dog-Walk Controversy Now Facing Heat Over Deadly Satya Niketan Building Collapse

· Free Press Journal

Sanjeev Khirwar, the senior IAS officer who made headlines in May 2022 after an Indian Express investigation reported that athletes at Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium were allegedly being asked to finish their training early so that he could walk his dog, is once again under the spotlight.

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This time, Khirwar’s role as Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has brought him into focus following the deadly collapse of a five-storey building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, where seven people have died and several others were injured. Student organisation ABVP has demanded his resignation, alleging lapses in civic oversight.

The latest controversy has revived memories of the 2022 stadium episode, which turned Khirwar into one of the most recognisable names in Delhi’s bureaucracy.

The 2022 Thyagaraj Stadium controversy

In May 2022, The Indian Express reported that athletes and coaches training at the Delhi government-run Thyagaraj Stadium had allegedly been asked to wrap up their practice by around 7 pm, with the facility subsequently being used by then Delhi Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar to walk his dog.

The report triggered widespread outrage, particularly because the controversy involved a government sports facility used by athletes and coaches for training.

Khirwar, however, denied that athletes were being forced to leave early because of him. He acknowledged that he sometimes took his pet for a walk at the stadium but said it did not interfere with athletes' practice. The stadium administration also disputed the allegation, saying the official training hours ended at 7 pm.

The controversy nevertheless escalated rapidly.

Following the media reports and public backlash, the Delhi government announced that its sports facilities would remain open until 10 pm, effectively extending the training window available to athletes.

The Union Home Ministry subsequently transferred Khirwar to Ladakh, while his wife and fellow 1994-batch IAS officer Rinku Dugga was transferred to Arunachal Pradesh, who was later compulsorily retired by the government.

The episode also drew criticism from then Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who called the reported incident “shameful” and said athletes should not have their training disrupted.

Who is Sanjeev Khirwar?

Khirwar is a 1994-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre. He has held several senior administrative positions during a career spanning more than three decades.

He began his career as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Chandigarh and later served in various administrative roles across Delhi and other Union Territories. He also worked in the Commerce Ministry and served as Private Secretary to then Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath between 2009 and 2014.

His Delhi postings have included roles in health, environment, general administration and revenue. Before the 2022 controversy, he was serving as Principal Secretary (Revenue) and Divisional Commissioner in Delhi.

Khirwar holds a B.Tech degree in Computer Science from IIT Delhi and a master's degree in Economics.

Return to Delhi

After his transfer to Ladakh in 2022, Khirwar continued to hold senior administrative responsibilities.

In January 2026, he returned to Delhi in a major posting when the Union Home Ministry appointed him Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi with immediate effect. The appointment was officially notified on January 21, 2026.

His return placed him at the helm of one of Delhi's most important civic institutions, responsible for a wide range of municipal functions, including building regulation and enforcement.

Now, the Satya Niketan collapse

Khirwar's tenure as MCD Commissioner has now come under scrutiny following the collapse of a five-storey building being used as a paying guest accommodation in Satya Niketan.

According to NDTV, the structure was a Ground+4 building in a resettlement colony where the earlier permission was only for a Ground+1 structure, and no building plan had been approved. The MCD had also issued an order concerning a neighbouring property on September 6, citing concerns over its safety.

Fact Check: Viral Video Showing People Fleeing As Delhi's Satya Niketan PG Building Collapses Is AI-Generated

The civic body has since suspended five officials, including the South Zone Deputy Commissioner and four engineers, following the tragedy.

Khirwar himself said the MCD had carried out demolition-related action in the area and that several buildings had been identified for action. He also said the building adjoining the collapsed structure had weakened and would be demolished in a calibrated manner.

But the tragedy has also triggered questions over accountability. ABVP protesters gathered at the MCD headquarters and demanded Khirwar's resignation, bringing his name back into the centre of a public controversy four years after the Thyagaraj Stadium episode.

From the 2022 controversy over a government stadium and a dog walk to his return as Delhi's civic chief and the scrutiny following a deadly building collapse, Sanjeev Khirwar's career has once again become the subject of intense public attention.

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