Land scam: Father seeks leave for SDM

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, February 21

The father of Gidderbaha Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Anand Sagar Sharma has written to Deputy Commissioner Sumeet Jarangal, seeking extension of his son’s leave on medical grounds. Sharma has been on an unauthorised leave since yesterday.

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) booked him in a multi-crore Hoshiarpur land scam on February 10.

Jarangal said, “The letter from Sharma’s father has been forwarded to the Secretary, Personnel Department. I can’t sanction the leave beyond four days. He has already availed four days’ leave.”

He further said the SDM’s father had sought the leave for his son citing his poor health.

Sharma had proceeded on leave before the VB booked him and 12 others in connection with the 2014 land scam. When he was the Hoshiarpur SDM, he had allegedly caused loss to the state exchequer by showing agricultural land as a commercial one during land acquisition for four-laning of the Hoshiarpur-Chintpurni National Highway 70.

Meanwhile, the additional charge of the SDM-cum-Returning Officer (RO), Gidderbaha, has been given to Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Lakhmir Singh. He is already on leave and is scheduled join duty on Monday.