Lekhpal who sought bribe to settle farmer’s case suspended by Noida CEO

The farmer also made a video in which Singhal could be seen and heard seeking the bribe. Following the video, the farmers’ group filed a complaint demanding the suspension of Singhal

The Noida authority chief executive officer Lokesh M has suspended a lekhpal (land record keeper) after farmers filed complaints alleging that he was involved in corruption while handling a land case.

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The CEO issued the suspension order on Thursday evening after an inquiry panel formed by him to probe the matter found the lekhpal, Manoj Kumar Singhal, guilty of corruption, said officials.

“We have suspended Singhal because the inquiry panel found the allegations levelled against him to be true. We will not tolerate corruption and will take stern action against whosoever is found violating law,” said Lokesh M.

Last week Bharatiya Kisan Union Manch, a farmers’ group, had filed a complaint against the lekhpal alleging that he demanded a bribe from a farmer to get work done. The farmer also made a video in which Singhal could be seen and heard seeking the bribe. Following the video, the farmers’ group filed a complaint demanding the suspension of Singhal. Following the complaint, Noida CEO formed a panel consisting of the authority officer on special duty Ashok Kumar Sharma, deputy general manager Shripal Bhati and assistant general manager Shobha Kushwaha to probe the complaint and also the related video, said officials.

After filing a complaint, farmers also staged protests for four days outside the Noida authority’s Sector 6 office demanding action. Finally on Thursday evening, Lokesh M issued the suspension orders.