NEW DELHI: Allegations against Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in a land acquisition compensation matter are baseless and part of “dirty politics”, Delhi government divisional commissioner Ashwani Kumar said on Monday, holding a press conference to defend the top bureaucrat.
The divisional commissioner told the media that the allegations made against the chief secretary were aimed at dampening his reputation as he was actively taking action in cases related to corruption. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked Vigilance Minister Atishi to conduct an inquiry into a complaint alleging that the chief secretary’s son was employed by a relative of a man who was awarded enhanced compensation for his land acquired for a road project.
The original 19-acre land at Bamnoli acquired by the National Highways Authority of India was raised from Rs 41 crore to Rs 353 crore in May this year by then-district magistrate (southwest) Hemant Kumar. Hemant Kumar was later suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs in connection with the matter.
The divisional commissioner said a lot of “rumours and lies” were being spread to tarnish the image of the chief secretary. There should be an inquiry into the matter, he said, rejecting the allegations against the chief secretary as baseless. The complaint against the chief secretary was a “diversionary tactic” to protect Hemant Kumar, he claimed.