Haryana babu transfer gets Vadra, DLF stamp
17 Oct 2012 2:42 AM GMT
The controversy around the land deals between the Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra and the realty major DLF scam are refusing to die. On Tuesday, a senior Haryana government official alleged that he was shunted out by the Congress government of the state because he ordered a probe into one such deal. The 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service officer Ashok Khemka made this claim in a letter to the state chief secretary P K Chaudhary.
His claim, however, was countered by Chaudhary, who addressed the media after the controversy broke out, saying, 'The recent transfer of IAS officer Mr Ashok Khemka has been carried out in compliance of the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court order dated October 1, 2012.' Chaudhary also announced that a three-member panel headed by the additional chief secretary had been set up to look into the matter and it would complete the probe within one month.
Earlier in the day, hitting out against the Haryana government, Khemka alleged that he was transferred from the post of the state's director-general of land consolidation and land records-cum-inspector general of registration, because he had ordered a probe into all the land deal of four districts of Haryana. He claimed it was 'grossly unfair to punish him for being upright and exposing the scams'.
Khemka said this was his 43rd transfer in the 20-year career. He claims that he ordered the cancellation of mutation of 3.5 acre plot of land in Manesar-Shikohpur area that Vadra had sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore. He also refuted the chief secretary's claim that he was shifted out on the court order. He said, 'The court's directions were only regarding the post of special collector, a relatively junior post, which I held as additional charge.' Khemka also claimed that he was receiving threats.
Countering Khemka's claims, the Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, 'A transfer is a task to be performed by the state government. It is not a form of punishment. Secondly the matter that [Khemka] has raised has been referred to the chief secretary for a probe.'
His claim, however, was countered by Chaudhary, who addressed the media after the controversy broke out, saying, 'The recent transfer of IAS officer Mr Ashok Khemka has been carried out in compliance of the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court order dated October 1, 2012.' Chaudhary also announced that a three-member panel headed by the additional chief secretary had been set up to look into the matter and it would complete the probe within one month.
Earlier in the day, hitting out against the Haryana government, Khemka alleged that he was transferred from the post of the state's director-general of land consolidation and land records-cum-inspector general of registration, because he had ordered a probe into all the land deal of four districts of Haryana. He claimed it was 'grossly unfair to punish him for being upright and exposing the scams'.
Khemka said this was his 43rd transfer in the 20-year career. He claims that he ordered the cancellation of mutation of 3.5 acre plot of land in Manesar-Shikohpur area that Vadra had sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore. He also refuted the chief secretary's claim that he was shifted out on the court order. He said, 'The court's directions were only regarding the post of special collector, a relatively junior post, which I held as additional charge.' Khemka also claimed that he was receiving threats.
Countering Khemka's claims, the Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, 'A transfer is a task to be performed by the state government. It is not a form of punishment. Secondly the matter that [Khemka] has raised has been referred to the chief secretary for a probe.'
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