Chandigarh: There’s whiff of a scandal within the Haryana Chief Minister’s Workplace (CMO).
The Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) has accused Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar’s former principal officer on particular obligation (OSD) Neeraj Daftuar of transferring land price crores to his household at throwaway costs, whereas working within the CMO. This, the AAP has alleged, was achieved to cover his “black cash”.
Khattar has stated he’s seized of the matter, and has summoned data from the departments involved to look into the allegations.
Daftuar, who’s described by Haryana civil servants as having been essentially the most highly effective officer within the CMO, labored as principal OSD to Khattar from 2016 to 2022 (October), when he immediately resigned.
His resignation solely got here to mild as soon as he vacated his official residence in Chandigarh. It was stated on the time that he was shifting base to Delhi to work for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
ThePrint reached Daftuar for remark by means of cellphone calls in addition to WhatsApp however hadn’t acquired a response by the point of publishing this report.
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What the ex-CMO official is accused of
The allegations towards Daftuar had been made by AAP chief Anurag Dhanda at a press convention in Chandigarh Friday.
They centred on an organization known as ANA Actual Logistics LLP, which Dhanda stated was “fashioned in a single day” on 24 February 2022, with its administrators recognized as Siddharth Lamba and Ashish Chandna.
On 24 March, he added, the corporate bought 9 acres of land at Khalikpur village of Badli tehsil in Jhajjar district from Mannequin Financial Township Restricted (MET), run by a non-public firm.
Whereas the market worth of the land was about Rs 45 crore, the agency acquired it for Rs 2.73 crore, Dhanda stated, including that ANA Actual Logistics then utilized for a change in land use (CLU) certificates within the City and Nation Planning Division on 15 April. The CLU — from agriculture to warehouse — was issued in simply 12 working days, he added.
On 2 Might, simply two days earlier than the CLU was acquired, Dhanda alleged that ANA Actual Logistics was bought to Daftuar’s household, his spouse Anupam Daftuar and son Aditya Daftuar, “for simply Rs 75 lakh”.
ThePrint has accessed the purported paperwork pertaining to the transfers of the land and the corporate.
Contacted by ThePrint Monday, Dhanda alleged that this was a transparent case of bribe paid within the type of a land deal.
From day one, Dhanda stated, ANA Actual Logistics belonged to Neeraj Daftuar, and the initials “stand for Anupam, Neeraj and Aditya”.
“A written grievance on this regard was despatched by a complainant to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on 13 Might. However, thus far, there appears to be no motion on the grievance,” the AAP chief stated. “We’re ready for motion. In any other case, activists of the AAP will ask Khattar questions throughout his subsequent Jansamvad programme [the CM’s public outreach initiative].”
He additionally demanded an inquiry by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate into the matter.
All CLUs issued throughout Daftuar’s tenure must be probed, he stated.
‘Shut confidant of Khattar’
Daftuar’s Linkedin profile nonetheless says that he’s working as principal OSD to Haryana CM, helping him “on issues referring to governance” and serving “as a key hyperlink between the forms and the elected representatives”.
“Alongside, I’ve spearheaded the media and communication facet of the flagship schemes and packages of the state authorities,” he provides.
He describes himself as an “entrepreneur, a communication skilled & a strategist” with “virtually three many years of wealthy expertise in strategic planning, undertaking administration, monitoring & analysis, and communication options & consulting”.
The profile says he’s a postgraduate in historical past from Delhi College and an awardee of the UGC’s Junior Analysis Scholarship.
Daftuar was thought of an in depth confidant of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar.
“Daftuar was essentially the most highly effective officer within the CMO. For the Info and Public Relations Division, specifically, his phrase was the final phrase,” stated a former civil servant requesting anonymity.
Chatting with media individuals at Haryana Niwas in Chandigarh Sunday, Khattar stated he was conscious of the AAP’s allegations.
The CM stated he would look at the truthfulness of the allegations, and reiterated his dedication to zero tolerance for corruption.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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