L-G rejects Minister’s proposal to review stand on charges against CS

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has turned down Vigilance minister Atishi’s proposal to review his stand on charges made by her against Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, said sources from Raj Niwas on Friday.

Atishi had initially submitted a preliminary report on November 14, 2023, regarding a 19-acre land in Bamnoli village in South-West Delhi for the Dwarka Expressway project. The land was acquired by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The Vigilance minister alleged that the acquisition benefitted one of the landowners, claiming them to be linked to the Chief Secretary’s son. Further, she accused the Divisional Commissioner of withholding files from her. The report, forwarded by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was rejected by the L-G on November 19, 2023, claiming that an inquiry was already being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI), and undertaking the suggested steps from the report would hamper the investigation.

Following this, Atishi resent her proposal on November 22, 2023, so that the L-G may review his stance on the preliminary report. He turned down the file on December 14, 2023 after waiting for the verdict from the Delhi High Court regarding a plea of defamation made by Naresh Kumar.

He also considered it prejudicial to make a decision since there was a case pending in the Supreme Court on the extension of services of the Chief Secretary, informed Raj Niwas sources. “I have perused the observation of the Minister and would like to place on record that the legal issue relating to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 with other related issues of this matter has already gone through a judicial scrutiny of High Court of Delhi in the matter of Sh. Naresh Kumar v. The Wire and others,” Saxena noted regarding the report.

He further added, “I could not find any provision in section 45H of the GNCTD Act, 1991 which authorises a Minister of GNCTD to resubmit a matter already decided by the Lt. Governor in accordance with the provisions therein. Chief Minister has also very conveniently ignored this position of law.”