Rs. 850cr scam: AAP's Atishi recommends dismissal of top bureaucrats
Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi has called for the immediate dismissal of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar. On Tuesday, she submitted a 670-page preliminary report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, citing their involvement in an alleged Rs. 850 crore land fraud. The case pertains to enhanced compensation for a land parcel in Bamnoli village. Notably, the probe is based on a complaint claiming Naresh's son was employed by the relative of a person awarded hiked compensation.
Why does this story matter?
Interestingly, the report alleging corruption by CS Naresh emerged more than a year after his report triggered an investigation into the formulation of the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy. It was based on his report that Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged liquor policy scam. Two senior leaders of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh—are currently behind bars in connection to the case.
Delhi chief secretary accused of enhancing compensation
Naresh is accused of increasing the compensation for a land parcel in Bamnoli—acquired for the Dwarka Expressway—to provide unfair profits to a company connected to his son, Karan Chauhan. Atishi's report claimed that the "connections and the chronology give the appearance of complicity" between landowners, CS Naresh, and District Magistrate (South West) Hemant Kumar. It alleged a conspiracy by high-ranking officials in Delhi's Vigilance Department to downplay the extent of the fraud as Rs. 312cr from an estimated Rs. 850cr.
Business connections between Naresh's son and beneficiaries
Atishi's report also highlighted the purported business ties between Naresh's son, Chauhan, and the landowners who profited from the increased land compensation. Per the AAP leader, all the events since Naresh took on the role of Delhi's chief secretary indicated that he might have used his power to benefit the landowners in multiple ways. She also mentioned that Ashwani's refusal to supply files concerning this case raised suspicions about his involvement in the scam.
Recommendations include disciplinary proceedings and CBI review
Atishi has recommended Kejriwal seize files related to this case from the accused bureaucrats to prevent any "tampering or destruction of evidence." The minister has further called for disciplinary proceedings against both the bureaucrats. In her report, she requested that the report be forwarded to the CBI for a thorough examination of the findings, supplementing the agency's ongoing inquiry.
DM Hemant suspended in relation to case
It is pertinent to note that District Magistrate (DM) Hemant has already been suspended by the Union Home Affairs Ministry for his role in the alleged scam. He has been accused of raising the compensation award for the 19-acre land in Bamnoli from Rs. 41 crore to Rs. 353 crore in May this year. The land was acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of the Dwarka Expressway.
