Panel asks Delhi chief secy to enforce its summons

Delhi assembly's committee on petitions has summoned divisional commissioner Ashwini Kumar and former services secretary Ashish More over alleged irregularities in a land transfer case in 2013. Officials familiar with the matter said the transfer of government-owned evacuee property to private people was illegal. The committee has requested revenue records and written to chief secretary Naresh Kumar to direct Ashwini Kumar to appear before it on 15 June. More was removed from his post on 11 May after AAP took control over transfer and posting of officers in the state.

The Delhi assembly’s committee on petitions has written to chief secretary Naresh Kumar to direct divisional commissioner Ashwini Kumar to appear before it in on June 15 connection to alleged irregularities in the transfer of land in 2013 in north district.

Chief secretary Naresh Kumar did not comment on the development despite repeated queries by HT. (HT Photo)

In the letter dated June 9, the committee has sought revenue records related to the land transfer case.

It has also summoned former services secretary Ashish More in this regard.

According toofficials familiar with the matter,the matter pertains to the transfer of a piece of land in Jhangola village of north district in 2013 when More was the district magistrate. The committee recently received complaints that evacuee property owned by the government was “illegally transferred to private people and they were given bhumidhari rights”, they said.

“I am directed by the chairperson, Committee on Petitions to request you to issue directions to the Divisional Commissioner, Revenue Department to submit the requisite documents as desired in the letter of this Secretariat dated 30.05.2023 by 12.06.2023 with no further delay for placing the same before the Members of the Committee, and further direct the Divisional Commissioner to appear before the Committee on the next date of sitting, which shall be communicated forthwith,” stated a letter written by Sunil Dutt Sharma, deputy secretary (committee).

Earlier, the committee asked the divisional commissioner and More to appear before it on June 7. However, the officials did not turn up and sought two weeks’ time.

In his response to the committee, an officer on behalf of Ashwini Kumar said that since the matter was related to land, it was outside the preview of the committee as per the GNCTD (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023.

The assembly panel later said that “it is beyond imagination that the divisional commissioner was interpreting the Constitution as per his convenience.”

The committee also said in its response that since the it is checking revenue records, which is a transferred subject, it is within the preview of the committee.

More was removed from his post on May 11, hours after the Supreme Court gave the AAP dispensation control over the transfer and posting of officers in the state.

Chief secretary Naresh Kumar, Ashwini Kumar and More did not comment on the development despite repeated queries by HT.