By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 29 Aug: In a significant administrative development, the Uttarakhand government has assigned new responsibilities to two officers whose names had earlier surfaced in the Haridwar land purchase scam. IAS officer Karmendra Singh and PCS officer Ajayveer, both of whom had been suspended in connection with the case, have now not only been reinstated but also given fresh postings. According to the official order, Karmendra Singh has been appointed Additional Secretary, Women Welfare and Child Development, while Ajayveer has been posted as Executive Officer of the sugar mill at Doiwala.
The decision comes after a long wait for both officers, who had remained without substantive postings following their suspension. It may be recalled that this alleged land scam, which had first come to light in September 2024, involved purchase of land by Haridwar Municipal in Sarai village for waste disposal. The land use was altered from agricultural to commercial just before the decision to purchase this land, leading to a sharp rise in its value before the corporation purchased it. Allegations were levelled that the transaction was manipulated to benefit some private people, thereby causing financial loss to the Municipal Corporation of Haridwar.
It may also be reminded here that the investigations into the matter had led to the suspension of several officers, including IAS and PCS officials, as well as the departmental staff. The case had drawn widespread attention, with the government recommending major punishment for then Haridwar Municipal Commissioner Varun Chaudhary, including dismissal from service. The inquiry also pointed to serious lapses by other officials, among them Karmendra Singh who was the DM Haridwar at that time and Ajayveer, resulting in their suspension.
The government has now revoked their suspension and reinstated them with new responsibilities. While the move has raised eyebrows given the gravity of the allegations, the officials maintain that the decision follows due process after departmental proceedings and recommendations. They also claim that the Haridwar land scam remains under scrutiny, with multiple investigations having been conducted and that the further action is still under consideration.
The Haridwar land scam continues to be remembered as one of the most controversial episodes in recent years, involving allegations of collusion, manipulation of land use and financial irregularities. While the dismissal of Varun Chaudhary has been recommended, the reinstatement of other officers indicates that the government is attempting to balance disciplinary action with administrative continuity.
For now, Karmendra Singh will oversee matters related to women welfare and child development, a sensitive portfolio requiring close monitoring of schemes and programmes, while Ajayveer will manage operations at the Doiwala sugar mill, a key industrial unit in the region. It may also be pertinent to remind here that just the last month, the government had claimed that a chargesheet is being finalised to be submitted before the court in the land scam. Interestingly, on the one hand, the government claims that the chargesheet would be filed soon and, on the other, it reinstates some officers and gives them fresh postings. It may also be reminded that this development is not unprecedented in Uttarakhand. Several senior officers get suspended by the government on allegations of irregularity but once the case fades from public memory, they are reinstated and given fresh and significant postings. This also reflects that the police and the administrative machinery often fail to file chargesheets and prove the allegations in the court of law, leading to the reinstatement of the officials concerned. While the lower ranking officials often remain suspended for a longer time, the senior officers including the bureaucrats are often reinstated after a while.
