Delhi Govt refers Rs 850 cr land acquisition scam involving Chief Secretary to CBI

The Delhi Government referred the matter of the Rs 850 crore alleged land acquisition scam in the Dwarka Expressway project to CBI on Thursday.

The Delhi Government referred the matter of the Rs 850 crore alleged land acquisition scam in the Dwarka Expressway project to CBI on Thursday. This comes a day after Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi submitted the preliminary report to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the alleged involvement of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in enhancing an exorbitant compensation award for a land parcel in Bamnoli village in order to provide illicit profits to a company linked to Naresh Kumar's son, Karan Chauhan.

As per the Aam Aadmi sources, an associated matter of acquisition of the land in 2015 at a 7 per cent circle rate by the same company was referred to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate money laundering. The matter was referred to CBI and ED after the go-ahead from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

According to sources, the preliminary report, which consists of 670 pages, brings out several incriminating facts and states that the "connections and the chronology give the prima facie appearance of complicity" of Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar with DM Southwest Hemant Kumar and landowners in the land acquisition on the Dwarka Expressway. The report also unveils a conspiracy by senior officers of Delhi's Vigilance Department including Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to undervalue the scale of the scam as Rs 312 crore when the actual compensation award would have resulted in an illicit gain of Rs 850 crore to the beneficiaries, sources added.

In her report, Atishi recommended disciplinary proceedings against Naresh Kumar (Chief Secretary) and Ashwani Kumar (Divisional Commissioner). The Vigilance Minister in her preliminary report to the Chief Minister also recommended the immediate removal of Naresh Kumar (Chief Secretary) and Ashwani Kumar (Divisional Commissioner) from their respective posts so that they do not influence the probe, sources said further. (ANI)

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