Khemka sought Vadras records before transfer

He was transferred the same evening.

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The Haryana government has said that IAS officer Ashok Khemka was transferred before he ordered a probe into or set aside the land deal between Robert Vadras firm Sky Light Hospitality and DLF Universal,in an attempt to prove that the two were not linked. However,copies of official notings with The Indian Express show that on October 8,three days before his transfer,Khemka as the director general,Consolidation of Land Holdings and Land Records,had sought the sale deed and mutation records relating to the Shikhopur deal,when the district officials were present in a departmental inquiry.

Further,according to the Haryana Consolidation Departments records accessed by The Indian Express,the sale deed and mutation documents sought by Khemka from Gurgaon district officials were made available to him on October 11. He was transferred the same evening.

Before relinquishing charge,Khemka,on October 12,ordered a probe by deputy commissioners of the districts of Gurgaon,Mewat,Faridabad and Palwal into all documents registered by or on behalf of Vadra and his companies January 2005 onwards. On October 15,he cancelled the mutation of Vadras land to DLF Universal Ltd,on the ground that the sanctioning authority was not competent to do so,and then took over at his new post.

Khemkas official notings are available in the records of the Consolidation Department. The officer also makes a mention of the October 8 date in his October 15 notings.

In view of the serious allegations raised in the media by the India Against Corruption,concerning the functioning of registering offices and Consolidation Department,the impugned sale deed of village Shikhopur,district Gurgaon,along with the mutation was called for on 8th October,2012,when the district officials were present in a departmental inquiry, one of the official notings in the Consolidation Department reads.

On the Haryana government questioning that he had issued orders even after his transfer,Khemka said: I made a representation to Haryanas chief secretary on October 12,and till date the chief secretary has not sent me any reply on the representation,that whether it has been accepted or rejected. I could have left had my successor come to take charge. My successor came to take charge on October 15 and I immediately relinquished charge.

The officer also says it is very surprising that neither Vadra nor DLF has reacted to cancellation of the mutation. They could very well go to the concerned officer and get the mutation done. But what needs to be probed is why the Haryana government is so exasperated.

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Khemka adds that he basically has three questions: a What does Vadras first application,on the basis of which he got the licence to develop a housing colony on the land in question,read?; b What does Vadras second application,on the basis of which his licence was renewed by the Haryana government,read?; c How and under which law did the Haryana government permit him to trade in the licence along with the sale of the land?

Chief Secretary P K Chaudhery did not respond to phone calls and messages sent by The Indian Express.