CM Yogi cracks down on govt officials over illegal sale of land

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has cracked down on several government officials and employees in a case of illegal sale of land and its allocation to the accused close aides, in Sirsaganj tehsil of Firozabad district.

The government has suspended the SDM, Naib Tehsildar, Revenue Inspector, Lekhpal, and Peshkar in the case and has instructed the District Magistrate to file an FIR against the accused in addition to initiating departmental action against them.

Simultaneously, the state government's Vigilance department has issued instructions to investigate disproportionate assets angle against all the implicated officers and employees. This action has been taken after the recommendation of the committee constituted for investigation.

During his tenure in Sirsaganj tehsil, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Vivek Rajput of Firozabad, while adjudicating a case related to the land in village Rudhaini in June 2024, overturned the lower court's decision and issued a suspicious order.

Within just five days of this ruling, he facilitated the irregular transfer of land to residents from his home district and other close relatives, allegedly abusing his official position.

Based on prima facie findings, the Uttar Pradesh government has promptly suspended Vivek Rajput and has recommended further departmental action against him.

Simultaneously, the Revenue Board has taken action against in-charge Tehsildar/Naib Tehsildar Naveen Kumar, suspending him for abusing his post to acquire land in collaboration with revenue officers, thereby breaching Government Servant Conduct Rules.

Following an investigation into allegations of land grabbing and crop destruction, Accountant Abhilash Singh has been suspended by the SDM.

The action was taken after he was found guilty in the probe, with directives issued for both departmental proceedings and the filing of an FIR against him.

The state's Vigilance department has given instructions to investigate the disproportionate assets angle against SDM Vivek Rajput, Naib Tehsildar Naveen Kumar, Revenue Inspector Mukesh Kumar Singh, Accountant Abhilash Singh and SDM’s Reader Pramod Shakya.

The government has also recommended FIR along with departmental action against all of them.