Probe demanded against Collector

VADODARA, March 30: In a move widely expected to trigger a controversy, Mayor Ratilal Desai has demanded a vigilance inquiry into District C...

VADODARA, March 30: In a move widely expected to trigger a controversy, Mayor Ratilal Desai has demanded a vigilance inquiry into District Collector Rajiv Kumar Gupta8217;s alleged quot;shady land dealingsquot;.

Highly placed sources said the demand had been forwarded to the State Government8217;s Vigilance department a couple of days ago. A copy of the letter has been sent to the General Administration Department and the Chief Secretary. When contacted, Desai confirmed that he had demanded a vigilance probe.

Desai had accused Gupta of taking autocratic decisions and questioned the quot;unnecessaryquot; use of government machinery to survey temples and slums. Apart from demanding to know the amounts Gupta had run up through outstation telephone calls and air travel, the Mayor had alleged that Gupta had quot;connectionsquot; with builders.

In the letter of inquiry, Desai is believed to have mentioned four land deals in Sindhrot, Jarod, Harni and Vishwamitri, where negotiations were reportedly suspect. The Mayor is believed to havealleged that Gupta had prepared certain proposals which would not hold good in a court of law.

Desai has also questioned the approval suddenly granted to Concorde, a posh commercial complex in Alkapuri. The complex was sealed by the collector for allegedly flouting the Urban Land Ceiling Act. After the complex was sealed, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation declared it unauthorised. Sources said the building was unsealed after the builders quot;fulfilledquot; specifications laid down in the Act.

The Mayor demanded that Gupta show the documents which had allowed the Collectorate to okay the Concorde complex.

Incidentally, this is the second time that the Mayor has publicly taken on the Collector. A few months ago, Desai had criticised Gupta for not mentioning his name in an invitation card for a public function. That was when the Rashtriya Janata Party was in the power. His most recent attack, however, seems to have been influenced to some degree at least by the fact that his own party 8212; the Bharatiya JanataParty 8212; is in the driver8217;s seat in the State.

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Talking to The Indian Express, the Collector said in no uncertain terms that the Mayor had no business to seek an explanation from him and that there was no question of giving a reply. According to Gupta, demanding explanations was not the Mayor8217;s job. quot;It would be better if he devotes the same amount of time as he is spending on demanding explanations in the VMC,quot; Gupta said, adding that it would do good to the city. About the vigilance inquiry, he said he had no idea and that quot;everything was done as per government ordersquot;. Gupta claimed that there was no secrecy in the District Collectorate and the offices were inspected regularly by the Government officers.