Rajasthan ACB books retired IAS officer in land scam case

JAIPUR: Close on the heels of arresting IAS officer Ashok Singhvi in a mining scam, the Rajasthan anti-corruption bureau booked retired IAS officer GS Sandhu and arrested senior RAS officer Nishkam Diwakar, currently posted as chief executive officer in Basnwara zila parishad, in a land scam case on Tuesday. 

Sandhu was additional chief secretary, urban development and housing (UDH) when he allegedly connived with JDA officials and transferred society deed of a land measuring 40,000 square yards to a builder against norms in 2011, ACB officials said. 

Sandhu and another RAS officer Onkar Mal Saini are evading arrest, ACB officials said. Sandhu and Saini had been served notices to appear before the agency for questioning on Tuesday. It was the fourth notice to Sandhu in the past couple of months, but he didn't turn up. His arrest is imminent, sources said. Saini was deputy commissioner in JDA at that time. Diwakar was deputy secretary in UDH. 

Add SP, ACB Bajrang Singh investigated the case and arrested Diwakar after questioning. " He was arrested under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act," said the officer. 

ACB IG VK Singh under whose supervision the case was investigated said that the agency had registered a complaint in the case in 2013. An RTI activist had lodged the complaint alleging that Sandhu acted arbitrarily and in connivance with JDA officials, he granted a single deed of 28 bigha land worth nearly Rs 300 crore as per the current market value to one Ganpati Constructions company at throwaway prices. The land was owned by Rajendra Nagar housing society.