Haryana Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker. (Source: FB/DharamSChhoker)Haryana Congress MLA Dharam Singh Chhoker may soon face a SIT (special investigation team) probe as the Lokayukta has ordered a probe into a matter pertaining to getting approval for regularisation of a residential colony which is stated to be a bungalow linked to his family at Samalkha town of Panipat district.
An RTI activist, P P Kapoor, had approached the Lokayukta in 2014 alleging illegal constructions at Samalkha town. Kapoor alleged that the Chhoker family’s ‘kothi’s construction was approved as a colony ‘Sai Enclave Colony’ in 2018. The Lokayukta has now ordered formation of a SIT consisting of a retired Sessions Judge and an IAS officer to probe the matter.
“From the reports, it also appears that the authorities have unilaterally … reduced the area as 0.75 acre in order to facilitate regularisation of Sai Enclave Colony, which is in fact a single bungalow unit and prima facie, it appears that its regularisation is not in accordance with the scheme floated/enacted by the state government and also, as observed by ATP -II (town planning department official) Shri Chirag Singh,” observed Lokayukta Justice Nawal Kishore Agarwal in his order passed on August 7.
The Lokayukta pointed out that “… no specific map has been provided by the authorities to demarcate various constructions i.e. construction of kothi of …Chhokar, which might be in the name of his son and other constructions i.e. 4-5 houses, as mentioned by Shri Gaurav Kumar, Sub Divisional Officer (civil) Shri Gaurav Kumar,” the Lokayukta observed.
“It will not be out of place to mention that when the original record relating to approval of Government and consequent issuance of afore-mentioned notification was requisitioned, the office of Director, Urban Local Bodies Department as well as the office of Principal Secretary to Government of Haryana, Urban Local Bodies, have expressed their inability to produce the same, as, as per their affidavits, same stands missing. From the above it is clear as crystal that both the offices of Urban Local Bodies i.e. office of Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Municipal Committee, Samalkha and the office of Deputy Commissioner, Panipat were not interested at all in taking any action on the report of Deputy Commissioner, Panipat, dated 16.07.2015 even after the serious illegalities were brought to their notice. The aforesaid attitude of the department certainly reflects their reluctance not to act in accordance with law, so that under the garb of public interest, interest of individuals may be protected by putting pressure upon the government of the day to either ignore or to bring some regulatory legislation. ‘Sai Enclave Colony’ is a classic example of the same,” the Lokayukta noted.
On his part, Chhoker informed the Lokayukta that “as a public servant” he had no role in the regularization of the colony claiming that more than eight houses were constructed in six kanals of land. “Sai Enclave is thickly populated colony and the same has been established by the owners of the houses in well … planned manner; there is no hazard in the said colony, and the plan/ map of the above said colony has been duly approved by the Municipal Committee, Samalkha,” said Chhoker while denying the allegations levelled against him.