IIT Kanpur Engineer, UPSC 8th Rank IAS Officer Abhishek Saraf Faces Lawyer Protests in Balaghat

• IAS officer Abhishek Saraf, CEO of Balaghat District Panchayat, is accused of misbehavior by lawyers.
• The controversy began on January 6 when Saraf allegedly refused to accept an application from lawyer Kapil Shivhare during a public hearing.
• Shivhare claims Saraf told him, "If you want to stand, stand, or if you want to leave, then leave. I will not take your application."
• The Balaghat Bar Association is protesting, demanding Saraf's transfer and an impartial investigation.
• Abhishek Saraf, an IIT Kanpur alumnus, secured All India 8th rank in UPSC 2020 after multiple attempts.

Why It Matters: An IAS officer with an IIT background and high UPSC rank faces protests over alleged misbehavior in Balaghat.