RAS officer sent to custody for irregularities in land deal

The senior Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer, who was arrested by Anti Corruption Bureau last night in connection with alleged irregularities in land deal, was today sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
RAS officer Nishkam Diwakar, posted as Chief Executive Officer of Zila Parishad of Banswara, was produced before the ACB court where the magistrate ordered to send him to 14-day judicial custody, Additional SP Bajran Singh said.
The officer was posted as Deputy Secretary in Urban Development and Housing Department when the deed was issued, he said.
The ACB team also summoned former Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal for questioning at the ACB office in connection with the issuance of the deed of the land.

An ACB official informed that Dhariwal has been asked to appear before the ACB before October 9.
The Bureau had also summoned retired IAS officer GS Sandhi in the case, but he had not turned up despite repeated notices, Singh informed.

A case was registered with the ACB in December last year by a man in which he alleged that officers of Jaipur Development Authority and Urban Development and Housing Department in connivance transferred a society deed of a land to a builder against prescribed norms in 2011.
During investigation, the name of Sandhi, who was Additional Chief Secretary (UDH) at that time, came up following which the ACB issued notices to him, but he did not turn up, he said.

Diwakar was posted as Deputy Secretary in Urban Development and Housing Department when the deed was issued, he said.
Besides, the ACB also sent notices to another RAS officer Onkar Saini, allegedly involved in the case, to appear before it for interrogation, but he also did not come, Singh added.