Delhi L-G dismisses DASS officer for fraudulently registering govt lands

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V.K. Saxena, on Friday dismissed Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services (DASS) Grade I Officer Harish Bajaj from services for fraudulently registering 57 sales/purchase deeds of government and gram sabha lands, and lands falling in 'khasra' (revenue document that specifies land and crop details) that had already been notified under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in favour of private persons.

"Bajaj illegally registered 106 instruments with malafide intentions and financial quid pro quo in violation of rules, regulations and instructions issued by the Revenue Department. Of the 106 instruments, 57 were in relation to government/gram sabha lands," said a statement issued by the L-G secretariat.

Disposing a case of appeal filed by Bajaj against an order of the government that had `compulsorily retired' him from service in 2020 for the acts of commission and omission on his part, the L-G observed that the `penalty of compulsorily retirement' is grossly disproportionate and Bajaj, Deputy Secretary (Labour Department), is liable to be held responsible for gross dereliction in discharge of his duties and responsibilities and for proven misconduct, the ends of justice would be met by imposing an appropriate major penalty, and therefore, proposed to enhance the penalty to `dismissal from service', the statement said.

Bajaj in his appeal to the L-G, the appellant authority in such matters, had not denied having registered the said lands.

In support of his misconduct, he had contended that the sub-registrar performs his duties under the provisions of Registration Act, 1908. As per Rule 42, the sub-registrar has nothing to do with 'title of land' and that a sub-registrar is under no obligation to verify the title of property before registering it.

However, the L-G ruled that the averments of Bajaj were misleading, adding that he had blatantly disregarded government orders and circulars.

Bajaj violated the aforementioned provisions and registered 57 instruments pertaining to government land without even obtaining the status report of the land from the competent authority, i.e., ADM (East) as prescribed vide order dated 25.08.2006, the statement added further.

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