Kejriwal seeks chief secretary's removal over Rs. 850cr land scam
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has submitted a report to Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena, reportedly calling for the immediate removal of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Compiled by Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi, the report alleged Kumar was involved in a land compensation scam that unlawfully granted benefits worth Rs. 850 crore to a company linked to his son. Kejriwal also asked Atishi to forward it to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further investigation.
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This came a day after Atishi submitted a 670-page preliminary report to Kejriwal, alleging CS Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar's involvement in the land fraud. Interestingly, the report against Kumar emerged over a year after his report triggered a CBI investigation into the formulation of the now-scrapped 2021-22 Delhi Excise Policy. Two senior leaders of Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—Manish Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh—are currently behind bars in connection to the case.
Details of alleged land compensation scam
The alleged scam reportedly concerns a land parcel in Bamnoli village acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the Dwarka Expressway project. Bought for Rs. 75 lakh in 2015 by a company linked to Kumar's son, it is believed to have been part of an arrangement involving inflated land acquisition rates, leading to illegitimate profits of Rs. 850 crore. The investigation also indicated the chief secretary granted government contracts to companies associated with his son, Karan Chauhan.
Report alleges conspiracy within Delhi's Vigilance Department
Moreover, Atishi's report highlighted alleged "connections and chronology" that prompted suspicions of collusion between CS Kumar, District Magistrate (South West) Hemant Kumar, and the landowners involved in the land acquisition. It also claimed the divisional commissioner's refusal to supply files related to the matter also suggested his involvement. In light of these grave allegations, the report recommended the immediate removal of both Kumar and Ashwani for a transparent investigation. The report alleged there was a conspiracy within Delhi's Vigilance Department.
MHA suspended DM Hemant in relation to case
Notably, District Magistrate Hemant has already been suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for his role in the alleged scam. He has been accused of inflating 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 NHAI for the construction of the Dwarka Expressway.
