The Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) has registered a complaint against Madhya Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Chairman AP Srivastava, on the charge of corruption and violation of rules.
This complaint against Shrivastava has been filed by a person named Prabhash Jaitley, alleging irregularities in appointments in RERA and accepting a residential plot from a property developer.
Shrivastava is a 1984 batch IAS. Before retirement, he was the DG of the Academy of Administration.
In his complaint, it was alleged that there were two posts filled by taking permission for direct recruitment on one post.
According to the complaint, the recruitment process for different posts in RERA has been rigged. Out of the two approved posts of Adjudication Officer in RERA, advertisement for one post was issued, while the other post was filled without advertisement.
Appointed officers and employees were above 65 years of age. Apart from this, the age limit fixed for contractual appointment in other recruitments cannot be more than 65 years. Shrivastava is accused of ignoring the rules and appointing a person above 65 years of age.
Among the other points raised was took plot in his and wife's name, cancelled projects of Aakriti Devlinks.
AP Shrivastava took residential plot no. B-168 in the name of himself and wife Neeti Shrivastava in the Aakriti Gardens project of Aakriti Devlinks Private Limited. Along with this, as RERA Chairman, all the projects of Aakriti Devlinks were cancelled. Whereas as per the rules, AP Shrivastava was not supposed to hear the project of Aakriti Devlinks as RERA Chairman.
Looking at the seriousness of the complaint, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has registered an FIR. However, the truth of the allegations made so far has not been confirmed.
A 1984 batch IAS AP Srivastava retired on March 31,2021. According to the order of the Urban Administration and Housing Department, Srivastava's tenure has been fixed for 5 years. Earlier, former Chief Secretary of the state Antony Disa was the chairman of RERA. He was appointed by the Shivraj government for 4 years. However, he was removed from the post in September 2020 before the completion of the tenure.
AP Srivastava's tenure as RERA chairman is 5 years. Six officers including IAS officer and Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayat and Rural Development Department Manoj Shrivastava, who was retiring in April 2021, and IAS and Agriculture Production Commissioner KK Singh, who is retiring in August, had applied to become RERA chairman. The department had sent a panel of two names to the Chief Minister, in which apart from AP Shrivastava, KK Singh's name was there.
Before retirement, Shrivastava was DG in the Academy of Administration. After this, in February 2020, he was posted as Additional Chief Secretary in the Forest Department. During this time, there was a possibility that Shrivastava could be made the Chief Secretary in March. But in the meantime, he went on a 5-month leave. Then the Kamal Nath government made SR Mohanty the Chief Secretary.
