A sub-divisional magistrate (judicial), who had summoned the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel in a land acquisition-related case and his staff member have been suspended by the State government, officials said on Thursday. The officer, identified as Vineet Kumar, was suspended by the State government on the report submitted by the Budaun District Magistrate (DM) Manoj Kumar.
“We have submitted the report to the State government, afterwards action was taken,” said the Budaun DM. The SDM was charged for gross ‘negligence’ as well as ‘laxity’ on-duty. A reader in the SDM office, Badan Singh, was also suspended on similar grounds of ‘negligence’.
The issue came to fore last month, when Badrinath Singh, the Special Secretary to the Governor wrote to the Budaun DM, describing the act as a gross violation of Article 361 of the Indian Constitution which gives impunity in such matters. In the letter, the Special Secretary to the U.P. Governor in no uncertain words expressed anguish over the letter of summon issued by the SDM in a land acquisition-related case, asking the Governor or her representative to appear in front of the SDM on October 18.
In the land acquisition case, a person named Chandrahas, a resident of Loda Baheri village of Budaun Sadar, filed a petition in the SDM court, naming another person Lekhraj, a few others and the Governor as involved parties alleging that Lekhraj got the property of his aunt Katori Devi registered in his name and the land was later sold and subsequently acquired by the State government by giving a compensation of ₹12 lakhs.
Hearing the petition, the SDM had issued summons in the name of the person who had bought the land, as well as to Governor Anandiben Patel on October 7 under Section 144 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, and asked her or her representative to appear on October 18, the officer added.
