Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeks report on graft complaint against Chief Secretary’s son

New Delhi, November 10

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sought a report from the Vigilance Minister on a complaint regarding alleged irregularities in land acquisition on the Dwarka expressway involving Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar’s son.

Reports suggested Naresh Kumar’s son was employed by a relative of the landowner who received an over-enhanced compensation for the acquired land.

“A complaint was made to CM Arvind Kejriwal regarding the alleged corruption involving Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Allegation on the Chief Secretary of benefitting his son’s company by Rs 315 crore. Allegation of irregularities in land acquisition on the Dwarka expressway. The CM has sent the complaint to the Minister of Vigilance for a detailed inquiry in the matter,” the Vigilance Minister’s office said.

The 19-acre land in Bamnoli village was acquired by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in 2018.

It was compensated Rs 353 crore for a road project at the rate of Rs 18.54 crore per acre by the South West Delhi District Magistrate in May.

In 2018, the district authorities had decided the compensation for the acquired land for the construction of the Dwarka expressway at an initial award of Rs 41.52 crore.

The complainant alleged that the Delhi Chief Secretary’s son worked for the realty firm in which the director was the son-in-law of Subhash Chand Kathuria, one of the owners of the land who were compensated for the acquired land.