SDM suspended for ‘irregularities’ in tender for organising Urs-2023

Two weeks after Vigilance Minister Atishi alleged corruption at revenue offices, Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar suspended a sub-divisional magistrate on Wednesday for alleged irregularities in the tender for organising

Urs-2023 in North Delhi, officials said.

The chief secretary suspended ad-hoc DANICS officer and former SDM of the caretaker branch, Pramod Kumar, for allegedly failing to prepare the tender on “realistic” estimates, the officials said.

No immediate reaction was available from the suspended officer on the development.

Kumar is currently posted as the SDM at the headquarters of the Delhi government’s revenue department.

“While the initial estimate in the finalised tender was Rs 5.4 crore for the 22-day religious event, the lowest bidder quoted nearly Rs 54 lakh.

This means the officer did advance planning by earmarking such a huge budget

so that he could escalate the quantities,” an official document said.

Hours after taking charge of the Vigilance Directorate on August 14, Atishi had claimed that she had received complaints of “bribery” at SDM offices and directed the chief secretary to take action in the matter.