Delhi minister Atishi writes to CBI, ED for probe against chief secretary

The development came a day after the chief minister wrote to the lieutenant governor recommending the immediate removal of Naresh Kumar

Delhi vigilance minister Atishi on Thursday wrote to the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, seeking an investigation into chief secretary Naresh Kumar in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the acquisition of land for the Dwarka expressway, people aware of the matter said.

In a preliminary probe report submitted to Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, Atishi had said the investigation found Naresh Kumar benefited a company linked to his son with over ₹850 crore of “illicit profits”. (HT Archive)

Read here: Atishi files report on complaint against Delhi’s chief secretary

The development came a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena recommending the immediate removal of Naresh Kumar. The CM had also recommended that the LG send the probe report to CBI or ED for further investigation.

“Atishi wrote to ED and CBI asking for an investigation into the alleged involvement of chief secretary Naresh Kumar, district magistrate south west Delhi and divisional commissioner in the Dwarka E-way land compensation award,” said the people cited above.

Kumar has denied the charges. On Thursday, people in his office said that he welcomed an “independent investigation free from biases in a time-bound manner”.

In a preliminary probe report submitted to Kejriwal on Tuesday, Atishi had said the investigation found Naresh Kumar benefited a company linked to his son with over ₹850 crore of “illicit profits”. “A clear nexus has been found between Naresh Kumar, his son Karan Chauhan and the beneficiary landowners who were provided a windfall gain of ₹897.1 crores at the cost of public exchequer...” she had said in the report.

According to officials who did not wish to be named, Atishi said in her letter that the case should come under the purview of CBI’s Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. “While, 93% of payment of the land purchased by the beneficiaries, may have been done in cash. The case might involve money laundering as well making it a case fit for investigation by the ED,” the officials added, citing contents of Atishi’s letter.

HT has not seen a copy of the letter.

“The chief minister has directed me to send a copy of the aforesaid preliminary report to you with a request that the case be registered by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 against those involved in the alleged illegal transactions,” the letter sent to both the probe agencies said, according to the officials cited above.

The row began last week over a 19-acre parcel of land in Bamnoli village in southwest Delhi that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) acquired in 2018. The then additional district magistrate fixed ₹41.52 crore as the compensation, according to officials. But in May this year, during the arbitration process, southwest DM Hemant Kumar allegedly increased the compensation award to ₹353.79 crore, said the officials.

On June 26, the divisional commissioner referred the matter to the directorate of vigilance. On October 19, the Union home ministry transferred Hemant Kumar to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was then suspended and the case was referred to CBI on October 20. Last Friday, Kejriwal asked Atishi to probe a complaint he received on October 24 from a lawyer about alleged irregularities in land acquisition for the expressway and the suspected role of the chief secretary.

“The CS has irrefutable links with the landowners, as his son Sh. Karan Chauhan is an intrinsic part of the business of the Sarins of Anant Raj Group, who are related to the landowners by marriage. Even Karan Chauhan’s own business appears to be supported and promoted by the Sarins. These links need to be further investigated,” Atishi said in the preliminary report.

Naresh Kumar had termed the allegations as a conspiracy against him.

“Let CBI/ED also investigate such conspiracy being done by vested interests, including public authorities, to malign me, against whom action has been taken by me, including removal from services/posts, suspension, referring cases to ED, CBI and Delhi Police with approval of the competent authorities for investigation,” he had said on Tuesday.

Read here: 'Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested, next target to be...': AAP's Atishi

In her report, the minister recommended the suspension of the chief secretary and additional chief secretary Ashwani Kumar. The report also suggested that a reference be made to ED because there is a “possibility” of the alleged offences attracting the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

On Monday, Ashwani Kumar defended Naresh Kumar, saying the allegations were baseless.