Delhi vigilance minister Atishi on Saturday initiated an inquiry into a complaint against chief secretary Naresh Kumar, summoning all the files on Bamnoli land acquisition for further action. The complaint alleged that the chief secretary’s son was employed by a relative of a landowner who received an enhanced compensation for land acquired for a road project, official sources said on Friday.
Atishi has directed divisional commissioner and vigilance director to provide all the files related to Bamnoli land acquisition to her by 7 pm today, the officials said. In separate notes to the divisional commissioner and vigilance director, the minister directed that “no files concerning the matter are to be processed through the Chief Secretary, since he is the subject of inquiry and therefore has a conflict of interest.”
The chief secretary reacting to the complaint against him, has maintained that it was an act of “mudslinging” by “disgruntled” persons facing vigilance investigations. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday (November 10) marked the complaint for inquiry and sought a detailed report from the vigilance minister.
A complaint has been received by the chief minister regarding this acquisition of land in Bamnoli village for the Dwarka Expressway, Atishi said in her note. “It has been alleged that the two landowners — Subhash Chand Kathuria and Vinod Kathuria — are family members of a business associate of the son of the current chief secretary of Delhi, Naresh Kumar,” read the minister’s note.
In May 2023, then district magistrate (south west Delhi) Hemant Kumar awarded Rs 353 crore as compensation to two individuals for 19 acres of land in Bamnoli village, at the rate of Rs 18.54 crore per acre. The land was acquired by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for Dwarka expressway construction in 2018.
“DM South West overturned a 2018 decision by the adjudicating authority, the additional district magistrate, granting compensation of Rs 41.52 crore for the same parcel of land based on a valuation of Rs 53 lakh per acre,” said the note.
Hemant Kumar was recently suspended by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and a CBI probe was ordered into the matter. Atishi stated that the Vigilance Directorate has already examined the issue of the acquisition of the Bamnoli village land and the involvement of Hemant Kumar.
“However, the role of the chief secretary has not been examined yet. An inquiry has been initiated on this, on the directions of the chief minister,” she said. The chief secretary earlier said proactive action, including initiating a CBI probe, was ensured against the officer concerned.
The original award of Rs 41 crore was raised to Rs 353.79 crore on May 15 this year by the then district magistrate (south west Delhi). Divisional commissioner Ashwani Kumar on June 2 flagged the matter to the chief secretary. The chief secretary directed the divisional commissioner to monitor the issue on a fortnightly basis and later also asked the Directorate of Vigilance to probe the matter. Further, with the approval of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, a CBI probe and departmental action against the district magistrate were recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on September 20.
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