UP govt recommends suspension of ex-dm
Govt recommended suspension and departmental inquiry against former Ghaziabad DM Nidhi Kesarwani over the alleged irregularities in land acquisition for two expressways
LUCKNOW/GHAZIABAD: The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated proceedings to suspend former district magistrate of Ghaziabad Nidhi Kesarwani for alleged irregularities in land acquisition for the Delhi-meerut Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway.
A 2004-batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre, Kesarwani took charge as the district magistrate of Ghaziabad in 2016. She is currently on central deputation and posted as the director of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare in Delhi. The UP government has recommended suspension and department proceedings against Kesarwani on corruption charges.
In a tweet on Wednesday, the chief minister’s office said, “In accordance with the policy of zero tolerance against corruption, chief minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered for the suspension of the former Ghaziabad DM. CM has ordered to refer the matter to the central government to initiate departmental action.” Strict action will be taken against those who have committed irregularities in the land acquisition. Order has been given to register an FIR against the accused and take legal action, the tweet said. Kesarwani could not be reached for her comments over the issue.
The issue relates to about 19 hectares of land belonging to four villages of Dasna, Rasoolpur Sikrod, Kushaliya and Nahal in Ghaziabad.
In 2017, former divisional commissioner Prabhat Kumar had set up an inquiry after receiving complaints that certain officials allegedly connived with private people and purchased land after the notification for land acquisition for the expressways was issued. The officials had allegedly purchased land in the name of their relatives.
The inquiry also highlighted that those cases were also sent for arbitration and the final settlement was done up to six times the normal rate of ₹1,100 per square metres.
Officials maintained in the inquiry that any sale/purchase of land after notification is not allowed as per norms but nearly 450 sale deeds were allegedly executed after the notification for land acquisition was issued.
Kumar in his inquiry report had also put the role of two former district magistrates, including Kesarwani, under scanner and recommended that the state government get an inquiry conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any other specialised agency.
The CM also ordered for the suspension of a section officer and review officer posted in the state appointment department for the alleged delay in taking up the probe report. Departmental action has been ordered against the deputy secretary in the appointment department.