JOIN USBuilding linked to Asim faces demolition squad
Illegal portions of a five-storey building in Matia Mahal, allegedly at the bottom of the controversy surrounding sacked Delhi Minister Asim Ahmed Khan, were demolished by the civic agency on Tuesday.
There was heavy police presence in the congested area
as labourers of the civic agency punctured the concrete floors of at least three floors of
the building in Matia Mahal area.
Sources in the civic agency confirmed the link between the building and Khan’s sacking.
However, officials of the North Corporation’s building department refused to comment on record that property number 2,585 in Gali Shankar which was pounded by a demolition squad was the one whose builder allegedly paid a Rs 6 lakh bribe to Khan.
“The property built on a 36 square metre plot had five stories and out of these demolition action was taken on the first, second and the third floor,” said an official.
“The steel bars in the concrete floors have been cut using gas cutters,” he said.
As police offered protection to the demolition squad, the curious onlookers in the Matia Mahal area’s Kucha Pandit municipal ward gathered around noon.
The officials of the North Corporation also refused to share the name of the owner of the property who allegedly complained about corruption related to the construction in the building.
Khan was sacked after a complaint was received that a bribe of Rs 6 lakh was paid to him, through a middleman, for allowing illegal construction in the building.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sacked Khan on October 9 and also emoved A Nedunchezhiyan from the post of Deputy Commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) under whose jurisdiction Khan’s constituency falls.
“The competent authority is pleased to repatriate A Nedunchezhiyan from the post of Deputy Commissioner of North Delhi Municipal Corporation with the direction to report to Services department, Government of NCT of Delhi, immediately,” Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar said in his order.
North Corporation Mayor Ravinder Gupta said the demolition was part of the routine drives conducted to check illegal construction.
Reiterating his resolve to punish the corrupt, he said: “Action would be taken after an inquiry into this property is completed.”
Gupta alleged that there was rampant corruption in the ruling AAP and more cases like the Khan's episode may come to light soon.