Jaipur: A dalit IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre aspiring to become the state's chief Secretary today embraced Islam and applied for voluntary retirement alleging "victimisation" because of his caste after the incumbent top-most bureaucrat was given a three-month extension.

The Rajasthan government, however, trashed Umrao Salodia's charge that he was victimised because of his schedule caste origin as "baseless" and said a number of dalits occupied important positions.