Lokayukta grants reprieve to Dy Speaker in illegal construction case

Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly Amrish Gautam on Thursday got a reprieve from the Delhi Lokayukta as he agreed to divest himself of his property in Khichripur Resettlement Colony.

Undertaking

Gautam, who was accused of combining two plots at Khichripur and then raising an illegal construction there, escaped the wrath of the Lokayukta after giving an undertaking that he will neither live in the said property nor derive any benefit from it.

“The public functionary in the instant case by ceasing to reside in the property with unauthorised construction and declaring his intention of not residing there or deriving any benefit from there, recognises and accepts the moral responsibility of abiding by the norms,” said Justice (retd) Manmohan Sarin.  

“Further he has divested himself of all rights in the property even though they are transferred to his sons. In these circumstances, I think it is a fit case where nothing further is to be achieved by continuing the proceedings against him. The notice issued to the public functionary is discharged,” he said.

Sarin added that deputy speaker’s sons will have to seek regularisation of the property, abide by the municipal regulations and pay the necessary charges.

Municipal body authorities will be free to proceed against the said property if application for regularising it is not submitted within four months or it gets rejected.

Councillor Preeti Bhen had complained that 61 public functionaries were having unauthorised construction in their properties following which the inquiry was conducted.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board had confirmed that Gautam merged two plots in Khichripur Resettlement Colony and carried out unauthorised construction.