He goes out unbowed

The white-collar one heading the department controlling everything connected with liquor has been given a sudden punishment transfer.

The reason behind this transfer is that the white collar one is a stickler for rules and regulations and he is not prepared to play ball with political bosses giving him unlawful instructions.
He had incurred the wrath of the political authority above him in particular for consigning the latter’s illegal fiats to the waste paper basket.

Among the ‘wrongs’ committed by the white-collar one were turning down requests by the political authority above him to issue liquor permits for bars and restaurants located near schools and temples and to move out some of his subordinates who were not prepared to bend over backwards to pander to the whims of the authority.  

While speaking highly of the outgoing upright white-collar one, the employees wise to the goings-on say they feel sorry for the one about to succeed him.