Manoj Agarwal (IAS) Age, Wife, Biography » StarsUnfolded

Some Lesser Known Facts About Manoj Agarwal

• Manoj Agarwal is a 1990 batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the West Bengal Cadre. He originally hails from Uttar Pradesh.

• After completing his engineering degree, Agarwal joined the IAS service through direct recruitment.

• In the 1990s, in the early phase of his professional civil service life, he served in district level administrative roles in West Bengal, where he served as District Magistrate in North Dinapur and Bardhaman district of West Bengal.

• While serving at North Dinapur, he developed close professional relationship with former Congress leader Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi. Agarwal later moved to Delhi and worked as Dasmunsi’s personal secretary when the latter was the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister.

• Later in 2000s, during his central deputation career, Manoj worked in the Government of India in ministries related to Water Resources and Information & Broadcasting.

• In 2007, he served as Executive Director of West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC). Later he was promoted to Managing Director of the department.

• In 2009, the Crime Branch of Investigation registered as disproportionate assets case against Manoj when he was serving as Commissioner of Land Disposal in the New Delhi Development Authority. The CBI also conducted rais at several locations linked to him in Delhi, Ghaziabad, and Mathura. During the raids, the CBI recovered cash, fixed deposits and property linked to him and his family members.

• In April 2012, Agarwal was appointed as Secretary of the Development Department of North Division in West Bengal. He served there till October 2014.

• In 2013, the CBI filed a chargesheet against Manoj, his wife and father-in-law linked to 2009 disproportionate assets case and stated that between 1990 and 2008, he had accumulated wealth 116 percent beyond his known income. Manoj denied all the allegations stating that he had mentioned all his property in income tax records and in 2016 the case was dismissed.

• In October 2014 to early 2017, he served as the Principal Secretary in the Personal and Administrative Reforms Department of West Bengal.

• In 2017, Agarwal was transferred to the Food and Supplies Department of West Bengal and served there as the Principal Secretary and Commissioner. However, his tenure in the department lasted around a year and ended after allegations of irregularities in the public distribution system.

• In 2020, Manoj handled the administrative responsibilities as Principal Secretary of the Fire and Emergency Service Department. In 2021, he became the Additional Chief Secretary of the same department and served the position till June 2024.

• In June 2024, he was appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest Department in West Bengal.

• On 2 April 2025, Manoj Agarwal was appointed as Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal. In August 2025, he simultaneously served as ex-officio Additional Chief Secretary in the Home and Hill Affairs Department.

• His appointment as CEO came after the Election Commission of Indian reportedly rejected the shortlist suggested by Mamata Baneerjee led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in March 2025.

• As CEO, he oversaw the 2026 Assembly elections along with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

• In 2026, his 2009 CBI case again came into limelight after West Bengal former finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya raised the issue publicly on social media. To this Manoj Agarwal responded that he and his wife was acquitted by a special judge and their financial records were transparent and lawful.

• In May 2026, the newly formed Suvendu Adhikari‘s government in West Bengal appointed him as the Chief Secretary of the State.

• Manoj Agarwal’s appointment as Chief Secretary soon after serving as Chief Electoral Officer in the 2026 assembly election became politically controversial with opposition parties.