Delhi Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena has dismissed a Revenue Department official from service for fraudulently registering 57 sales and purchase deeds of Government and Gram Sabha lands in favour of private people.
The officer has been identified as Harish Bajaj, Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services (DASS), Grade I, who allegedly registered 106 "instruments" illegally with mala fide intentions and financial quid pro quo, in violation of rules, regulations and instructions issued by the Revenue Department.
According to officials from the Raj Niwas, of the 106 "instruments", 57 were in relation to Government and gram sabha lands. "In a strong message to officials that no irregularity or corruption will be tolerated, Delhi LG VK Saxena has dismissed Harish Bajaj from services, for fraudulently registering 57 sales and purchase deeds of Government and gram sabha lands and lands in khasras that had already been notified under Sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, in favour of private persons," the official said.
Disposing a case of appeal filed by Bajaj against an order of the government that had ‘compulsorily retired’ him from services in 2020, for the acts of commission and omission on his part, the LG observed that the ‘penalty of compulsorily retirement’ is grossly disproportionate and Harish Bajaj, Dy.
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’.
Bajaj in his appeal to the LG – who is the appellant authority in such matters, had not denied having registered the said lands. In support of his misconduct, omission/commission, , Bajaj had stated that a sub-registrar performs his duties under the provisions of the Registration Act 1908. As per Rule 42 of the said Act, the sub-registrar has nothing to do with the 'title of land' and is under no obligation to verify the title of property before registering it. However, the LG ruled that the averments of Bajaj were misleading and he had blatantly disregarded government orders and circulars.
As per order dated 03.01.2007, of the Revenue Department, GNCTD, no fresh instrument of transfer, including GPAs in relation to government land, which includes acquired land and land notified under Section 4 & 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, shall be registered without the compliance of the provisions of Delhi Land (restriction on transfer) Act, 1972.
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 August 25, 2006.
