Former LG OSD facing harassment from present LG Office?

Once considered the most powerful officer in the office of the Lieutenant Governor, the administrator of the city, is now facing eviction order from the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in the most inhumane and embarrassing manner. This is happening to Ranjan Mukherjee, the serving Air Commodore in Indian Air Force, who is deployed as Additional Director General (ADG) in Prasar Bharti on deputation.

“I am not a criminal. They should have sent a notice. DDA officers came to my residence with Delhi Police as if I am a threat to the nation. How can they treat me and my family in such an embarrassing manner,” said Mukherjee to Millennium Post. 

“They first came at around 2.40 pm. I was at home and explained them that my writ petition has been accepted in Delhi High Court and hearing is scheduled on September 21. They went back and I came to office. But they returned and pressurised my terminally-ill wife and daughter to evict the flat,” he added. Ranjan, a Vishisht Seva Medal awardee of Indian Air Force served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the LG Office from 2007 to 2013. He has also served as Principal Commissioner in the DDA. During the tenure of former LG Tejendra Khanna, Mukherjee was regarded as the crisis manager in the LG Secretariat on almost all matters including Commonwealth Games, Special Projects, MCD, LG’s Grievance Cell, Disaster Management, Media, Law and Order, Delhi Police and DDA. In his present posting, Mukherjee is heading DD Kisan channel, one of the flagship projects of the Central government. He was given the above responsibility for having degree in agriculture from BHU.

“There is a provision of ‘Inter -pool exchange’ for Union government employees serving in Delhi under which the serving officers are allowed to retain their accommodation but the departments exchange the accommodation. I have applied with the Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting but the decision is pending,” informed Mukherjee. He further added that several officers in the same DDA complex at Bhagwan Das Road are getting benefits of the scheme. 

“My wife has a clot in her brain and is on life-saving medicines,” said Mukherjee explaining the problems in changing the accommodation. “He lost his case in the court on Thursday, so a DDA team went to enforce the eviction order. A government employee is required to deposit HRA to get accommodation. He neither paid rent nor maintenance charges since May 8, 2014,” said Mahipal Singh, spokesperson of DDA, defending the action.