The Chhattisgarh government Monday suspended a sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur district over the alleged misappropriation of Rs 43.18 crore meant as compensation for land acquisitions under the centrally-funded Bharatmala highways project. This is the fifth such suspension in the case. Nirbhay Kumar Sahu, a state service officer and former SDM of Abhanpur in Raipur district, has been suspended over allegations of wrongfully disbursing compensation to some landowners in connection with the proposed Raipur-Visakhapatnam Bharatmala Road Corridor project. Sahu is currently the Jagdalpur municipal commissioner. According to officials, the alleged irregularities occurred under the previous Congress regime. The inquiry, instituted on the back of a complaint by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, “confirmed that the five were engaged in irregularities and showed negligence in their official duties”, a government official said. Speaking about the government action, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai told the media: “Corruption at any level will not be tolerated in the state. Those found guilty will face the strictest punishment”. Calls and text messages to Nirbhay Kumar Sahu went unanswered.
