Uttar Pradesh government suspends ex-Ghaziabad DM over corruption charges

In line with its zero-tolerance policy on corruption, the Uttar Pradesh government has ordered the suspension of former Ghaziabad District Magistrate Nidhi Kesarwani for irregularities in land acquisition for the Delhi-Meerut Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway.

As Kesarwani is on Central deputation serving as Director, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Delhi, the case has been forwarded to the Centre for further action against her. Actions will also be taken against other officers for dereliction of duty. 

"Following zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has ordered the suspension of the then DM Ghaziabad, now on central deputation, and ordered to forward the matter to the Centre to initiate departmental action,"  the UP government said in a statement. 

In action against other officers, the statement said a section officer and a review officer will also be suspended for the delay in the matter on taking up the probe report. Departmental action will also be initiated against the deputy secretary. The state government has also asked for registering an FIR against the accused officers. 

Corruption allegations in Delhi-Meerut Expressway

The Delhi-Meerut Expressway project was riddled with corruption and a probe was ordered by the Meerut Divisional Commissioner back in September 2017. The allegations were about officials buying land from villagers on behalf of their proxies after the project was notified in 2012. 

The then Meerut Divisional Commissioner Dr Prabhat Kumar had said, “We received several complaints that many officials, in a nexus with private parties, managed to get their relatives and acquaintances to buy land from villagers after the notification of the project was done. It was alleged that they made money when the compensation for the land was increased during the arbitration stage."

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in September 2019, inaugurated the Delhi-Meerut Expressway phase-3, built at a cost of Rs 1,058 crore. The 82-kilometre long Delhi-Meerut Expressway connects Delhi with Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh. The project will help in decongesting the National Capital Region and bring a significant reduction in pollution levels, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. 

"The project involves construction of a major bridge across upper Ganga canal, seven new minor bridges, a flyover at Hapur bypass, 11 vehicular underpasses, two pedestrian underpasses, two foot overbridges, six major junctions and 105 minor junctions," Gadkari said.

(Image: PTI)