Delhi CM Kejriwal seeks probe report from vigilance minister on complaint against chief secretary

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought a probe report from the vigilance minister on a complaint alleging Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar's son was employed by a relative of a landowner who received an enhanced compensation for land acquired for a road project, official sources said on Friday. Kumar dubbed the complaint as an act of "mudslinging".

"The disgruntled elements against whom vigilance action was taken are undertaking such mudslinging," the chief secretary told PTI. He added that proactive action, including initiating a CBI probe, was ensured against the officer concerned. The chief minister marked the complaint, received by the Delhi government in October, to Vigilance Minister Atishi and sought a detailed report on it with facts, sources said. The vigilance minister's office said in a statement that allegation against the chief secretary was that he "benefitted his son's company by Rs 315 crore."

The complaint has been sent to the vigilance minister for a detailed enquiry, it added. A 19-acre land at Bamnoli village in southwest Delhi was acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the construction of Dwarka Expressway in 2018 and an initial award of Rs 41.52 crore was decided by the district authorities. The landowners had challenged the compensation and finally it was raised to Rs 353.79 crore by South West Delhi district magistrate Hemant Kumar in May this year. Hemant Kumar was later suspended by the Ministry of Home Affairs in the matter.

Also, the Delhi High Court recently set aside the award of Rs 353.79 crore. It was alleged by the complainant that the Delhi chief secretary's son worked in a realty firm, a director of which was the son-in-law of Subhash Chand Kathuria, one of the owners of the land acquired in Bamnoli village. The award was raised to Rs 353.79 crore on May 15. Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar on June 2 flagged the matter to the chief Secretary, government officers said. The chief secretary directed the divisional commissioner to monitor the matter on a fortnightly basis and later also asked the Directorate of Vigilance to probe it, they said. Further, with the approval of Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, a CBI probe and departmental action against the district magistrate were recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on September 20, they added.