LG junks report on top official, govt hits back

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena has refused to consider a report by the Delhi government seeking action against chief secretary Naresh Kumar over alleged irregularities in acquisition of land for the Dwarka expressway, saying the report by is "prejudiced" and "devoid of merit", officials in the LG secretariat said on Sunday, triggering a sharp reaction from the Delhi government which termed it a "brazen attempt" by the LG to protect his "favourite officers".

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The development comes four days after the chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the LG recommending Kumar's suspension and immediate removal as chief secretary. Kejriwal also recommended the LG to send the 650-page report, submitted by vigilance minister Atishi, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further investigation.

The 19-acre land in question was acquired by the National Highways Authority of India in 2018 for the construction of the Dwarka Expressway in southwest Delhi's Bamnoli.

Atishi on Tuesday submitted the preliminary probe report to the chief minister and said that the probe has found that Kumar benefited a company linked to his son with ₹897 crore of "illicit profits".

In the report, the minister recommended the suspension of the chief secretary and divisional commissioner Ashwani Kumar so that they do not influence the probe along with an investigation by CBI.