The report, which was put together by Delhi Vigilance Minister Atishi, said that Kumar was complicit in a land compensation scheme that gave benefits totaling Rs. 850 crore to a business connected to his son illegally.
Additionally, Kejriwal requested that Atishi send it to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for additional research.
Why is this story important?
The day before, Atishi had presented Kejriwal with a 670-page preliminary report in which she accused CS Kumar and Divisional Commissioner Ashwani Kumar of being involved in the land scam.
It’s interesting to note that the report against Kumar surfaced more than a year after his report set off a CBI inquiry into the creation of the now-cancelled Delhi Excise Policy for 2021–2022.
Manish Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh, two prominent members of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, are presently incarcerated in relation to the case.
Specifics of the purported land compensation scheme
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) purportedly purchased a piece of property in Bamnoli village for the Dwarka Expressway project, which is the subject of the alleged scam.
It is thought to have been a part of a conspiracy involving exaggerated land acquisition rates, which resulted in illegal gains of Rs. 850 crore. It was purchased for Rs. 75 lakh in 2015 by a business connected to Kumar’s son.
According to the probe, the chief secretary allegedly gave government contracts to businesses connected to his son Karan Chauhan.
Conspiracy within Delhi’s Vigilance Department is alleged in a report
Furthermore, allegations of “connections and chronology” revealed in Atishi’s study raised doubts about possible complicity between District Magistrate (South West) Hemant Kumar, CS Kumar, and the landowners engaged in the land purchase.
It further asserted that the divisional commissioner’s reluctance to provide relevant files indicated his possible involvement.
The study recommended that Ashwani and Kumar be removed immediately so that a transparent inquiry could be conducted in light of these serious charges.
According to the report, the Vigilance Department in Delhi was involved in a conspiracy.
DM Hemant was suspended by MHA regarding the case.
Notably, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has already suspended District Magistrate Hemant for his involvement in the purported scam.
He is charged of inflating the compensation award in May of this year for the 19-acre Bamnoli land from Rs. 41 crore to Rs. 353 crore.
The NHAI purchased the site in order to build the Dwarka Expressway.