LUCKNOW: In a new twist to the eviction issue, the UP estate department ordered an inquiry into the allotment of 6, Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg residence to BSP chief Mayawati here on Saturday. The said bungalow, as per the claims of the BSP chief, was allotted to her after demitting office in 2012. However, the probe has been initiated by the department after finding anomalies in the allotment order of the posh property.
Notably, Mayawati, in her letter written to the UP CM six days ago, had confronted the eviction notice issued to her by the estate department to vacate 13A Mall Avenue. The BSP chief had claimed that 13 A Mall Avenue was never allotted to her instead it was converted into Kanshi Ram Memorial guest house in 2011 by the estate department following a cabinet decision. She had claimed that she was rather allotted 6, LBS Marg bungalow. She had furnished the allotment order of the said property also.
According to UP estate officer, Yogesh Shukla order allotting 6, LBS Marg bungalow to Mayawati was found to be `suspicious' as the dispatch number on the allotment order was same as the one issued in the name of another allottee Rekha Tanveer, who was allotted an apartment in Dalibagh colony.
“An inquiry has been initiated and the issue has been referred to the law department as well,'' said Shukla. He added that as per the government records, Mayawati was allotted 13-A Mall Avenue and that she was served the eviction notice in compliance with SC order.
The allotment order of 6, LBS Marg bungalow under estate department’s scanner was issued by senior IAS officer and the then secretary to CM Navneet Sehgal on December 23, 2011. As per the order, Mayawati was being allotted 6, LBS Marg residence in addition to 13-A Mall Avenue in `personal capacity' because of security reasons. According to the order, 13-A Mall Avenue was type-7 residence while Mayawati was eligible for type-8 accommodation.
Estate department officials claim that in the first place the allotment order of any bungalow is signed by the Estate officer and not by a secretary level officer. However, Sehgal held an additional charge of secretary, estate department then.
Mayawati had, however, claimed that the 6 LBS residence was used by her personal staff who also took care of Kanshiram memorial at 13-A Mall Avenue.
The BSP chief was among five other former UP CMs, including home minister Rajnath Singh, Rajasthan governor Kalyan Singh, SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and senior Congress leader ND Tewari, who were served eviction orders by the UP government on May 18 following May 7 apex court order. The state government had given a 15 day notice period, the deadline of which came to an end on Saturday.