North MCD to probe alleged land fraud, AAP lashes out
NEW DELHI: A three-member committee has been constituted, under the chairmanship of Additional Commissioner (Engineering) SK Bhandari, to investigate into allegations raised by former North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) Additional Commissioner Renu Jagdev that 95-acre of land was illegally transferred by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
North MCD Mayor Adesh Gupta on Wednesday said, “Defaulters in the matter will not be spared if proved guilty. We have a zerotolerance against corruption.”
Other members of the committee are Additional Commissioner UB Tripathi and Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) Deepak Purohit. After investigating all the issues raised in the complaint and bringing forth the facts, The committee will submit its report in one month’s time. Further decisions would rest on the outcome of the report.
Meanwhile, hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled North MCD, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that a former senior official of the civic body allegedly transferred 95-acre of land belonging to the civic agency to the DMRC, without approval of the municipal body and the land, which is valued at over Rs 15,000 crore, is currently being developed by a private builder.
The party claimed that the officer made several attempts to flag this issue, but was punished by being relieved of her charge as Additional Commissioner.
“This entire episode raises serious questions on the role of the BJP leadership, the LG and senior bureaucrats. who relinquished claim of Rs 15,000 crore worth of land belonging to the MCD leading to windfall gain to a private builder,” noted senior AAP leaders.
Senior AAP leader and spokesperson Dilip Pandey told reporters, “AAP will not allow loot of public money and we will take this scam to the people of Delhi. This issue will be forcefully raised in forthcoming Delhi Assembly session as well. The Mayor has tried to intimidate us by filing defamation suits against us. But that does not deter us. We will continue to expose the BJP’S corruption.”
Adding to this, Atishi Marlena said, “The same MCDS which have no funds to pay salaries of teachers or safai karmcharis allow 95 acres of its land to be transferred for the benefit of a private builder without any questions being asked? Who is the beneficiary of this transfer?”