Bamnoli expressway land acquisition: L-G turns down Atishi’s proposal to reconsider report seeking Chief Secretary’s suspension

Delhi government sources said the L-G had turned down all “plausible arguments” asking what harm a thorough investigation in the matter would have caused to public interest.

Atishi had submitted to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a 670-page preliminary report, on the alleged involvement of the Chief Secretary in enhancing an “exorbitant compensation award” for a parcel of land in Southwest Delhi’s Bamnoli village acquired for the Dwarka Expressway.

Accusing him of being instrumental in providing illicit profits to a company linked to his son, the report had alleged, “… prima facie appearance of complicity” of the CS with District Magistrate (Southwest) Hemant Kumar and owners of the land acquired.”

Chief Secretary Kumar had termed the allegations and the inquiry an attempt by the AAP Delhi government to “defame” and “malign” him. “It appears that the entire exercise/intention for resubmission of the file was only an attempt to mislead the general public and the Hon’ble Courts from the core issue for reasons best known to the Minister,” L-G House officials quoted Saxena as having observed.

The first report in the matter, recommending the immediate removal of the CS and Divisional Commissioner from their respective posts, had been submitted to the L-G on November 19, which Saxena had turned down. Atishi had then, on November 22, re-sent the proposal to the L-G asking him to reconsider his stand. Reacting to the development, Delhi government sources termed it “sincerely unfortunate” for Delhi and its people.

“What harm would it have caused to the public’s interest in initiating a thorough investigation by CBI or higher investigative authorities pertaining to this issue? What is there to hide that no enquiry is being conducted?..the Central Government is adamant about extending this ‘special’ officer’s services and vouching for him in the Supreme Court,” the sources said.