The Delhi government has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the irregular conversion of government land to private at Aali village in south Delhi in June, with the role of Revenue Department officials being questioned.
According to a note by Divisional Commissioner Manisha Saxena to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 2, the sub-divisional magistrate/revenue assistant (Sarita Vihar) had not followed the judicial process of the Court of Revenue Assistance, leading to 52 bighas of government land being declared private. The Divisional Commissioner recommended the matter be referred to the Vigilance Department. According to sources in the Chief Minister’s Office, Mr. Kejriwal recommended a CBI inquiry into the case on November 16.
‘Tearing hurry’
As per the note, the SDM/RA (Sarita Vihar), whose transfer was ordered on May 31, was in a “tearing hurry” to pass the order converting the village land to private. The SDM passed the order on June 14 and did not send its copy to the ADM/Tehsildar (Saraswati Vhar) “deliberately”, said the note. The note further said that the date of dispatch on the order by the SDM appeared to have been altered at a later date. While hearing the case of transferring the land, the SDM said that the matter was heard in open court and an order given. However, the note says the order could not have been given as there was no date fixed for it on the date of the last hearing nor was any notice to fix the date of judgment issued.
In another matter related to land, the Revenue Department found that records had been altered with regard to property in Asola. A senior government official said that the matter came to light when the Revenue records were digitised and the old files were found to have discrepancies.
