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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
District Magistrate among 3 top Haridwar officials suspended over ‘land scam', Dhami asks Vigilance to probe
The Uttarakhand government suspended two IAS officers and a Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officer following an inquiry into an alleged land scam in Haridwar. The suspended officers are Haridwar District Magistrate Karmendra Singh, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Varun Chaudhary, and Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ajayveer Singh. An inquiry into the alleged scam was conducted by a senior officer in the Secretariat. According to officials to whom the report was submitted, the scam involved the officers allegedly facilitating the conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural land, resulting in an increased valuation, after which the corporation acquired it for a higher price. The seller of the plot of land had submitted an application for conversion of land use in July, which was approved in October 2024. An official said, 'The agricultural land, according to the circle rate, was valued at Rs 15 crore. But with the conversion, the circle rate shot up, and it was acquired for over Rs 52 crore. The whole procedure took place without seeking approval from the government.' Following the suspension, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered a detailed investigation into the matter by the Vigilance Department. The sale deed related to the land scam has been cancelled, and orders have been issued to recover the money paid to the landowners. The Chief Minister has also directed a special audit of all works carried out during the tenure of Municipal Commissioner Varun Chaudhary in the corporation to look into any financial irregularities. In the suspension order, the Municipal Corporation has been accused of committing irregularities in the acquisition of 2.3 hectares of land in village Sarai in Haridwar. 'As per the preliminary inquiry report dated 29-05-2025 received through the Urban Development Department, Ajayveer Singh (PCS), then Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Haridwar / currently SDM, Bhagwanpur, has been found prima facie responsible for potential collusion with the land sellers. Within a short period, he facilitated the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural under section 143 of the Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, without complying with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) laid down by the Uttarakhand Revenue Council. He also violated other relevant rules and misused his official position,' the order stated. The other two officers — the DM, who was then the administrator of the corporation, and the Municipal Commissioner — have been accused of neglecting official duties, failing to follow the prescribed procedures, not safeguarding the interests of the corporation, and violating rules. DM Karmendra Singh and SDM Ajayveer Singh did not respond to calls from The Indian Express seeking their comment on the matter. Municipal Commissioner Varun Chaudhary said he could not comment as an inquiry is underway. A total of 10 officials have been suspended in this matter so far. Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read More
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
2 senior IAS officers, PCS officer suspended in Haridwar land scam
DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami took major action and suspended two senior Indian Administrative Officers (IAS) officers and a Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officer in the Haridwar land scam, according to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A departmental inquiry will be initiated against the suspended officers. A total of 12 officers have been suspended against the officers including District Magistrate (DM) Kamendra Singh, former Municipal Commissioner (MC) Varun Chaudhary and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ajayveer Singh, the statement said. The scam involves large-scale irregularities in land allocation and transfer. The decisions taken by the Uttarakhand CM are a sign of decisive change in the administrative culture of the state. Earlier on May 25, in another move to bring an end to corruption in the state, the Uttarakhand CM directed officials to conduct campaigns against corruption more effectively and submit detailed reports of actions taken so far in cases related to conversion, as per a release. Further, CM Dhami directed the officials to continue the verification campaign. He also said that immediate and strict action should be taken upon receiving information about any suspicious activity or person. The chief minister also pointed out that while making the Aadhar card and other government documents, it should be ensured that no document is issued without proper verification. Meanwhile, regarding property encroachment, the Chief Minister directed the officials to continue the ongoing campaign against it and ensured that land that has been made encroachment-free does not recur. CM Dhami has further directed officials to conduct a detailed assessment of enemy property encroachment and submit a comprehensive report. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During a review meeting, the CM emphasised prioritising local workers for construction work on government buildings while incorporating the state's cultural identity and traditional mountain architecture in their design. Additionally, CM Dhami instructed officials to bolster security arrangements in border areas and launch intensive checking campaigns to ensure safety and vigilance.
