Two Jal Board engineers suspended for role in razing of monument for bungalow

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Jal Board has suspended its two senior engineers in connection with the construction of a bungalow for the former chief executive officer (CEO) of the Board Udit Prakash Rai in the Kilokri area of southeast Delhi, allegedly after the demolition of a medieval-era monument, officials said.

The suspension of the chief engineer Virender Kumar and Rajiv Sharma, executive engineer, was done through an order of DJB CEO A Anbarasu on Monday, they said. The suspension of the two officers of DJB was effected after the National Capital Civil Service Authority (NCCSA) headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in its meeting recommended disciplinary action against them, documents showed.

The NCCSA recommendation was approved by Lt Governor VK Saxena who found that the two officers “prima facie failed to act in accordance with extant provisions. Rai, a 2007-batch IAS officer, was suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs last month.

He was allegedly involved in construction of an official accommodation for himself following the demolition of a 15th-century monument during his tenure as the Delhi Jal Board CEO. The monument, a “mahal” (palace) from the Pathan period and the only remnant of the Khizrabad city founded by Khizr Khan of the Sayyid dynasty was located in the Jal Vihar area of Kilokri in southeast Delhi.

A preliminary inquiry was conducted by DJB’s vigilance wing in the matter and a report was sent by it to the vigilance directorate of the Delhi government for necessary action against the officers for “gross misuse of authority” in the construction of the bungalow by spending resources of the Board and “manipulation of records” after the demolition of the monument, documents showed.

The vigilance directorate also probed the matter and asked for action against the accused officers in a communication to the CEO of DJB.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp