NEW DELHI: Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi has written to the directors of the ED and the CBI recommending an investigation into the alleged involvement of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, DM South-West Delhi, Hemant Kumar, and Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, regarding alleged irregularities in the Dwarka Expressway land compensation award, sources said on Thursday.
The Vigilance Minister mentioned that after the preliminary investigation by the Department of Vigilance, it appeared that in view of the scale of the alleged corruption and prima facie establishment of the abuse of authority by the concerned officials, the case should come under the purview of CBI’s Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. 93% of payment of the land purchased by the beneficiaries may have been done in cash which might involve money laundering as well, making it a case fit for investigation by the ED, sources said.
According to the sources, the minister mentioned that after her preliminary investigation on CM Arvind Kejriwal’s directions, she found that since the land was purchased by the beneficiaries at only 7% of the circle rate in 2015, it is likely that the remaining 93% payment may have been made in cash. It appears that the exorbitant award of land compensation is not only a case of corruption but might involve money laundering as well, making it a case fit for investigation by the ED. She further mentioned,
“The CM has directed me to send a copy of the aforesaid preliminary report to you with a request that the case be registered by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 against those involved in the alleged illegal transactions.” “I have examined the allegations based on the certified copies of the relevant files provided by the Special Secretary (Vigilance).
No files whatsoever have been received from the office of the Principal Secretary (Revenue)-cum-Divisional Commissioner despite requests. Besides, I have also referred to publicly available documents related to land records, reports, and records available on the website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India,” she added.
The minister further added, “I have also forwarded a copy of the preliminary report to the CBI for registering a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and such other provisions of law as may be applicable in this case against Naresh Kumar, and Ashwini Kumar, in addition to DM South West Hemant Kumar.” In her letter to the CBI, Atishi said,
“In view of the scale of the alleged corruption and prima facie establishment of the abuse of authority by the officials, the CM has directed me to send a copy of the aforesaid preliminary report to you with a request that the case be registered by CBI under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and such other provisions of law applicable against those involved in the alleged corruption and abuse of authority.”