Land scam: SDM suspended
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 9
The Punjab Government today suspended Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Anand Sagar Sharma, an accused in the Hoshiarpur land scam, for failing to report at the headquarters here since February 20 — the day he was transferred out of Gidderbaha by the Election Commission (EC).
In his suspension order issued by Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, he has been accused of remaining willfully absent from duty. The officer will only get subsistence allowance during his period of suspension. The 2012-batch PCS officer has been ordered to report at the headquarters here.
The EC had removed Sharma as the Returning Officer (RO) of the Gidderbaha Assembly segment after the Vigilance Bureau booked him in the land scam, wherein compensation was allegedly awarded at inflated rates to influential local leaders while acquiring land for four-laning of NH-70.
The Prime Minister’s Office, and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have taken note of the scam.
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