Delhi Chief Secretary summoned in land transfer case

Last year, five sub-divisional magistrates and one additional district magistrate were suspended in connection with the transfer of a piece of land in Jhangola village in north Delhi, the government said in a statement.

New Delhi: The Petitions Committee of Delhi Assembly has summoned Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in connection with a land-related complaint. The committee has also requested the chief secretary of the Delhi government to furnish answers to some questions by June 21. The Petitions Committee had received a complaint against IAS officer Ashish More who was recently removed from the post of secretary (services) on the order of Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Last year, five sub-divisional magistrates and one additional district magistrate were suspended in connection with the transfer of a piece of land in Jhangola village in north Delhi, the government said in a statement. "Ashish More used the same method to transfer the same type of land in the same village. Evacuee property belonging to the government was illegally transferred and people were given 'bhumidari' rights," it alleged.

More as the district magistrate of north Delhi used to decide the appeals where "illegal land transfers" were made, it claimed. More, along with divisional commissioner Ashwani Kumar, was asked to appear before the committee on June 7 but they did not, according to the letter sent to Chief Secretary by the committee.

They appeared on June 14 before the committee and admitted that the land was evacuee property, the letter claimed. Noting that it was a "serious matter", the panel has now sought some details in connection with the matter by June 21. (PTI)