Two officials suspended for restoring ‘illegal’ complexes

A deputy superintendent and a clerk in HSVP, estate office 1 in Gurugram allegedly recommended the restoration of three shop-cum-office (SCO) complexes.

Two officials of the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) were suspended on Thursday for allegedly restoring three shop-cum-office (SCO) complexes in Sector 23/23A market in violation of rules. Chief administrator, HSVP, Haryana issued the orders to suspend a deputy superintendent and a clerk in HSVP, estate office 1 in Gurugram for allegedly recommending the restoration of the SCOs, which were allotted in 1998, officials said.

Aerial view of Gurugram’s Sadar Bazar. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The allotment of these SCOs was cancelled by HSVP in 1998 but they were allotted again in 2018, almost 20 years after the cancellation, which led to a probe into the matter.

Official privy to the matter said that three more HSVP officials, including one who is in the finance department, and another posted at the headquarter in Panchkula, are likely to be suspended for issuing the letter of restoration in violation of rules.

As per the order (a copy of which is with Hindustan Times) issued by J Ganeshan, chief administrator, HSVP, Panchkula, the two suspended officials have been identified as Subash Chander, deputy superintendent and Sanjay Kumar, who is a clerk in HSVP estate office 1. The names of the other three have not been revealed as suspension letters are yet to be issued to them, officials said.

The suspended officials were not available for a comment.

Chander Shekhar Khare, HSVP, administrator, Gurugram, confirmed the suspension of the two officials in connection with the SCO issue. “The direction in this regard has come from Chandigarh and suspensions took place after a probe revealed that some norms were violated,” Khare said.

Bharat Bhushan Gogia, estate officer 2, said that allotment of two SCOs has already been cancelled and the third will also be cancelled as soon as directions come from CA, HSVP. Although a complaint in this regard was received by the authority in August, immediate action was taken after the allottee sought permission to transfer properties. In order to avoid the creation of third party right, HSVP decided to cancel the allotments.

In another matter, a Gurugram based NGO Sarv Jan Kalyan Sewa Samiti on Saturday alleged that a HSVP official had violated norms to extend floor area ratio benefits to a plot holder in Udyog Vihar. The NGO president Vinod Nambardar alleged that the state exchequer would lose crores due to the illegal action of authorities.

Quizzed on the matter, Khare said that the issue would be examined and if any wrongdoing is found, action would be taken. “The facts of the matter will be checked,” he said.

Bharat Bhushan Gogia, estate officer 2, however said that the decision was taken as per the policy norms. “No violation has taken place,” he said.