Delhi: Atishi initiates enquiry in alleged corruption case involving Chief Secy, writes to Vigilance Director
Nov 11, 2023
New Delhi [India], November 11 : Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi initiated an inquiry in connection with the alleged corruption of Rs 315 crore by the son of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in land acquisition on the Dwarka Expressway, following a complaint sent by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging benefit, sources said on Saturday.
As per the sources, Atishi wrote to the Director of Vigilance and Divisional Commissioner regarding the alleged corruption involving Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar.
All files regarding the land acquisition in Bamnoli Village for the Dwarka Expressway are to be submitted to the Vigilance Minister by 7 pm on Saturday.
The Vigilance Minister directed both departments that no files regarding this issue of alleged corruption are to be passed through the Chief Secretary since he's the subject of enquiry, the sources said.
On Friday, the CM sent the complaint to the Minister of Vigilance for a thorough enquiry into the matter.
The complaint was made to CM Arvind Kejriwal regarding allegations of irregularities in land acquisition on the Dwarka Expressway.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court nullified an award of over Rs 300 crore issued by District Magistrate (DM) Hemant Kumar, who was suspended from his position, in a matter of compensation for land acquisition in Bamnoli village, southwest Delhi on Dwarka Expressway.
Kumar, a 2013-batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, had increased the compensation amount for a 19-acre land acquisition by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) from Rs 41.5 crore to Rs 353.8 crore during his tenure as the district magistrate of southwest Delhi.
The High Court's decision was based on the observation that the District Magistrate had made this award without giving the NHAI an opportunity to refute the additional documents submitted by the awardee, Subhash Chand Kathuria, a fact admitted by Kathuria's counsel in court.
The court held that the award was issued in blatant violation of the principles of natural justice and contained patent illegalities.
The implementation of this award would have imposed an additional financial burden of Rs 312.3 crore on the government.
