JOIN USThe BJP government in Haryana has dropped a charge sheet filed against whistle-blower IAS officer Ashok Khemka that accused him, among other things, of exceeding jurisdiction in the controversial land deal between DLF and Robert Vadra’s company.
The charge sheet was filed two years ago during the previous Congress regime. The decision comes as a sigh of relief for Khemka, who on Wednesday tweeted that he was not aware of any such information and the media reports were “music to the ears”. Official sources, however, confirmed the clean chit.
The officer, who has been transferred 44-times in his 24-year career, was charged by the Hooda government on six counts but none of them could be established.
Khemka had submitted a voluminous over-100-page reply to the government, rubbishing the charge sheet. The consequent developments exposed the alleged partisan manner in which the Congress government “worked overtime” to pin down Khemka after he cancelled the land deal in Gurgaon, involving Vadra’s Skylight Hospitality and DLF.
The BJP had supported Khemka’s assertions in the run up to the Assembly elections last November. Relief for Khemka comes as the Khattar government completes one year in office. Khattar had given a personal hearing to Khemka on October 6 last month. Chief Secretary D S Dhesi later turned down the charge sheet against Khemka.
The seven-page charge sheet accused Khemka, among other charges, of delay in relinquishing his charge, exceeding jurisdiction and giving erroneous orders to four deputy commissioners.
The CAG report, which indicted the Hooda government on the controversial Vadra deal and more, vindicated Khemka’s stand on the issue. Khemka has often been vocal, at times even emotional, over the “vindictiveness” he faced. He had earlier said, “My biggest ‘crime’, of course, was canceling the mutation (in the Vadra deal)” .
Retired Justice S N Dhingra commission, appointed by the Khattar government, is investigating many controversial deals in the national capital region in Haryana, including the Vadra-DLF land deal. The commission is likely to submit its report soon.
Vadra’s company had sold a prime 3.5 acre of land in Manesar, Gurgaon, to DLF in 2008 for Rs 58 crore. The land had cost his company about Rs 15 crore. It was sold to DLF after obtaining change of land use and other permissions from the Hooda government.