NEW DELHI: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena has approved the investigation by ACB against three officials of Revenue Department under Section 17A of the Prevention Of Corruption (POC) Act, 1988.
He has also directed the Vigilance Department to submit the case of the then SDM, Hauz Khas, who was involved in the matter.
The approval for investigation was accorded against DC Sahoo, ex-sub-registrar, Ramesh Kumar, ex-Kanungo, and Anil Kumar, ex-Tehsildar, all previously associated with the Hauz Khas, South District, Revenue Department, Government of NCT of Delhi.
The matter pertains to the alleged sale of DDA land to private individuals by issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC). Land bearing Khasra No. 351 was acquired by the DDA in 1965. In 2019, Bala Devi filed an application with the SDM, Hauz Khas, seeking demarcation of Khasra No. 351.
After demarcation by revenue officials, out of the total area of 44 Bigha and 19 Biswa, a piece of land measuring 1 Bigha and 5 Biswa was demarcated as private land.
However, during a court case in the matter, DDA informed that there was illegal construction on DDA’s land, which has been demolished, and the Authority has taken possession of the land.
Despite revenue records clearly indicating that the land belonged to the government (DDA), officials from the Revenue Department (South District) issued an NOC to Bala Devi.
Subsequently, the then Sub-Registrar, DC Sahoo, went on to register the sale deed of the acquired land. This alleged act of cheating and fraud has resulted in wrongful revenue loss to the government.
Since there was an inordinate delay in the processing of these cases by the Vigilance Department, officers of the Vigilance Department dealing with cases under the POC Act have been instructed to strictly adhere to the timelines stipulated in the Act and avoid delays in sensitive matters.
This action against government officials is in a series of steps taken in the last few months. In October, the L-G gave his approval to the prosecution sanction of five PWD engineers for an alleged scam of Rs 200 crore.