New Delhi: Lt Governor V K Saxena has dismissed a Delhi government official from service for “fraudulently” registering 57 sales and purchase deeds of government and gram sabha lands in favour of private persons, a Raj Niwas official said on Friday.
Harish Bajaj, Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services (DASS), Grade I, allegedly registered 106 “instruments” illegally with “mala fide intentions and financial quid pro quo”, in violation of rules, regulations and instructions issued by the Department of Revenue, said the official.
Of the 106 “instruments”, 57 were in relation to government and gram sabha lands, he claimed.
“In a strong message to officials that no irregularity or corruption will be tolerated, Delhi L-G V K Saxena has dismissed Harish Bajaj from services, for fraudulently registering 57 sales and purchase deeds of government and gram sabha lands and lands in khasras that had already been notified under sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in favour of private persons,” the official said.
Disposing of a case of appeal filed by Bajaj against a government order that had “compulsorily retired” him from services in 2020 for the “acts of commission and omission on his part”, the L-G observed that the penalty of compulsory retirement is grossly disproportionate.
Saxena said Bajaj, a deputy secretary in the labour department, is liable to be held responsible for “gross dereliction” in the discharge of his duties and responsibilities and for “proven misconduct”.
The ends of justice would be met by imposing an appropriate major penalty, the L-G said, and therefore, proposed to enhance the penalty to “dismissal from service”.
Bajaj in his appeal to the L-G, who is the appellant authority in such matters, had not denied having registered the said lands, the official said.
In his defence, Bajaj had stated that a sub-registrar performs his duties under the provisions of the Registration Act 1908. As per Rule 42 of the said Act, the sub-registrar has nothing to do with the ‘title of land’ and is under no obligation to verify the title of property before registering it.
However, the L-G ruled that Bajaj’s averments were
“misleading” and he had “blatantly disregarded” government orders and circulars, the official said.
“As per a revenue department order in 2007, no fresh instrument of transfer, including general power of attorneys in relation to government land, including acquired land and land notified under Section 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, could be registered without the compliance of the provisions of Delhi Lands (Restriction on Transfer) Act, 1972,” the official said.