PCS officer sacked in ₹4,000 crore Noida land scam

In a major action in a corruption case, the Uttar Pradesh government has dismissed senior PCS officer Harish Chandra from service in connection with the ₹4,000 crore land scam in Noida

In a major action in a corruption case, the Uttar Pradesh government has dismissed senior PCS officer Harish Chandra from service in connection with the ₹4,000 crore land scam in Noida.

Probe report said Harish Chandra was involved in serious irregularities and corruption. (For Representation)

Currently, he is posted as a local representative, UP food and civil supplies department, in Kolkata, West Bengal. Principal secretary, appointment and personnel, M Devraj issued Chandra’s dismissal order on Monday.

Disciplinary action was initiated against him on September 27, 2013, for serious irregularities in the leaseback of 3,81,527 square metres of land acquired and occupied by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority in Sectors 140-A, 141, 142 and 143 of Shahdara village, while he was posted there. The investigation was handed over to the then divisional commissioner of Meerut on September 27, 2013.

In the probe report, the then divisional commissioner said Harish Chandra was involved in serious irregularities and corruption. During his tenure at the Noida Development Authority, a survey was conducted to assess the population of Shahdara village.

The population should have been determined based on satellite images, but satellite images were deliberately not used to conceal facts. The survey report submitted included several landowners, private companies and residents outside the village.

In his report, the investigation officer said Chandra concealed several facts for personal gains. The name of the original cultivator was not recorded in column 9. The area referred to the regularisation committee was not mentioned in column 13.

For leasebacks, a misleading report was submitted to the committee consisting of the district magistrate, SSP, the Authority Board, and other senior officials, concealing facts, so that leasebacks could be granted in favour of individuals and private limited companies outside Shahdara.

By submitting a misleading report to the committee, approximately 4,00,447 square metres of land, valued at approximately ₹4,000 crore, was allotted irregularly by colluding with the land mafia.

Prima facie, he was found guilty of concealing the facts and deliberately submitting a misleading report contrary to the rules, with the intention of providing undue benefits to himself and the private parties concerned.

The dismissal order states that Harish Chandra, the then secretary, Noida, is dismissed on the basis of the allegations proven in the departmental disciplinary proceedings instituted by the government on November 27, 2013, the consent provided by the Public Service Commission, Prayagraj, on January 6, 2022, and the facts presented in the order of the Allahabad high court, Lucknow bench, dated September 3, 2026. Approval has been granted to end the ongoing departmental disciplinary proceedings against him.