The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has terminated the services of a consultant tehsildar for allegedly impersonating an employee of the enforcement wing and extorting money from residents, officials said Monday.

The consultant may face legal ramifications depending on the outcome of an ongoing investigation, officials added.

MCG officials said the matter came to their knowledge when residents from the 900-metre restricted area of the Indian Air Force (IAF) ammunition depot approached former MCG commissioner Vinay Singh two weeks ago and alleged that the tehsildar was asking for bribes.

Upon further investigation, officials found that the tehsildar had allegedly also extorted money from owners of buildings in Palam Vihar, Palam Vihar Extension and nearby areas.

According to a Punjab and Haryana High Court order in September 2016, no new constructions are allowed in the 900 metre restrict area.

“The tehsildar had allegedly been demanding money from the owner of a school as well as residents living in the 900-metre radius, allegedly claiming he will mark their properties as newly constructed and deem them illegal unless they paid a ransom to him. A few of the residents approached the MCG and lodged an official complaint following which an enquiry has been marked against him,” Raman Lamba, a resident of Dharam Colony in Palam Vihar Extension, said.

According to MCG officials, the consultant had been working with the MCG for the last two years and had been drawing a salary of Rs 1 lakh per month.

Joint commissioner Hariom Attri said the former commissioner forwarded the complaint of Palam Vihar Extension to him for further enquiry. “We verified the complaints and more such incidents came forward. I filed my findings in a report and sent it to additional municipal commissioner YS Gupta, who on Monday forwarded it to Amit Khatri, the MCG commissioner, who is the competent authority for taking action,” Attri said.

Khatri said initial findings allegedly confirmed the acts of impersonation and extortion leading to termination of services. “I reviewed the file today which concluded that the consultant was allegedly indeed impersonating and extorting from residents. Based on this, he has been removed from his post and once the ongoing probe is completed necessary legal actions will be taken against him,” Khatri said.

First Published: Jul 09, 2019 03:15 IST