Minister writes to CBI, ED for probe against chief secy

Delhi vigilance minister Atishi on Thursday wrote to the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation, seeking an investigation into chief secretary Naresh Kumar in connection with alleged financial irregularities in the acquisition of land for the Dwarka expressway, people aware of the matter said.

- Paras Singh

The development came a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena recommending the immediate removal of Naresh Kumar. The CM had also recommended that the LG send the probe report to CBI or ED for further investigation.

"Atishi wrote to ED and CBI asking for an investigation into the alleged involvement of chief secretary Naresh Kumar, district magistrate south west Delhi and divisional commissioner in the Dwarka E-way land compensation award," said the people cited above.

Kumar has denied the charges. On Thursday, people in his office said that he welcomed an "independent investigation free from biases in a time-bound manner".

In a preliminary probe report submitted to Kejriwal on Tuesday, Atishi had said the investigation found Naresh Kumar benefited a company linked to his son with over ₹850 crore of "illicit profits". "A clear nexus has been found between Naresh Kumar, his son Karan Chauhan and the beneficiary landowners who were provided a windfall gain of ₹897.1 crores at the cost of public exchequer..." she had said in the report.