SUPERINTENDENT OF TIHAR JAIL SUSPENDED OVER ‘FAVOURS TO JAIN’
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief secretary Naresh Kumar on Monday suspended Tihar jail superintendent Ajit Kumar amid allegations that jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Satyendar Jain was given special treatment at the jail in connivance with prison authorities.
The superintendent has prima facie been found to have committed irregularities which are being probed, officials aware of the development said. The ruling AAP declined to comment on the matter.
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief secretary Naresh Kumar on Monday suspended Tihar jail superintendent Ajit Kumar amid allegations that jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) minister Satyendar Jain was given special treatment at the jail in connivance with prison authorities.
The superintendent has prima facie been found to have committed irregularities which are being probed, officials aware of the development said, adding that government is also contemplating disciplinary action against him.
“…superintendent of central jail No.7, is hereby placed under suspension with immediate effect under rule 10 of the central civil services (classification, control and appeal) rules, 1965,” an order issued by the chief secretary said. HT has seen a copy of the order.
“It is further ordered that during the period this order shall remain in force, the headquarters of Ajit Kumar should be Delhi and he shall not leave the headquarters without obtaining the previous permission of the undersigned,” it said.
The department of prison comes under the preview of the elected government of Delhi. No comment was immediately available from the government or the AAP on the development.
The BJP did not respond to requests for comments.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested Jain in May this year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The central agency’s probe against Jain is based on a 2017 case of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in which it was alleged that the AAP leader and his wife Poonam Jain amassed disproportionate assets worth ₹1.47 crore between February 2015 and May 2017, which was much higher than their known sources of income.
Last month, the ministry of home affairs had sought a report from the Delhi chief secretary over allegations of special treatment meted out to Jain. Amid the allegations, director general (prisons) Sandeep Goel was transferred in the first week of November and replaced by IPS officer Sanjay Beniwal.
NEW DELHI: Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has recommended that the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) initiate disciplinary proceedings against Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and former Delhi Waqf Board CEO SM Ali, who allegedly approved “illegal resolutions” of the board, leading to several illegal appointments, a vigilance department official aware of the matter said.
Ali, during his stint as the CEO of the Waqf board, is accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation of indulging in acts of omission and commission, the official said. HT contacted Ali but he refused to comment. “I have not received the papers yet. I cannot make a comment at the moment,” Ali said.