LG Saxena Grants Permission to Conduct Enquiry against Sub-registrar for Graft

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Wednesday granted permission for an enquiry against a sub-registrar of the Revenue Department, GNCTD who has been accused of demanding bribes from applicants for official work. The LG said there is “irrefutable evidence” of acts of omission and commission against the officer.

In a note, the Raj Bhawan said, “Saxena has granted permission to conduct enquiry under Section 17 A of the Prevention Corruption Act (PCA) 1988, against Yogesh Gaur, the then sub-registrar of the Revenue Department at Janakpuri in West Delhi, who has been accused of demanding bribes from applicants for official work.”

The complaints against Gaur were lodged in the year 2019 and 2020. The LG said that in the interest of justice there is a need to conduct an enquiry into the allegations made against Gaur and the Directorate of Vigilance should be directed to process the request received from the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), to do the same, after due diligence.

Saxena noted that there was irrefutable evidence of acts of omission and commission against the officer concerned.

The Directorate of Vigilance found that the clarification in the matter related to the allegations raised by the complainant had not been provided by the Revenue Department.

In order to bring out the truth it recommended an investigation under Section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act. The Directorate of Vigilance submitted that the ACB had sought sanction to probe the matter under the provisions of the PC Act as Gaur had been demanding and obtaining bribe or illegal gratification through his agents Naveen Baniwal and Rahul from applicants.

“It was alleged that the accused officer keeps documents pending and clears them only after bribe is paid to him. Two complaints by the same person were filed on November 4, 2019 and March 19, 2020, while the second complaint alleged that the complainant had paid Rs 30,000 as bribe through agent Rahul for registering of Mortgagee Deed on his property in Uttam Nagar. The bribe amount was collected for not affixing the stamp of “Booked Property” with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) due to unauthorised construction,” the note said.

“Regarding the complaint dated November 4, 2019, the allegation of the complainant that Gaur withholds documents without reason stands corroborated by the finding of the committee constituted under the Chairmanship of SDM (Rajouri Garden).

“The committee observed that the accused officer was found in possession of large number of registered documents without bonafide reason that shows his malafide intention.

“The DM (West) was also of the view that permission for investigation/inquiry be accorded. As per this committee’s report, the accused officer has also been found to indulge in other acts such as opening office in late hours without information or permission of higher officer, delivering of documents without obtaining signatures of parties etc, which are irrefutable evidence of acts of omission and commission against him,” the note said.