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‘Guilty civic officers to be suspended’ Thursday, May 24, 2001

Ahmedabad, May 23: Urban development minister, Parmanand Khattar announced on Wednesday that investigations have been initiated against 38 corrupt officials of various civic bodies.

Mr. Khattar told The Asian Age that 34 of them are officers from six municipal corporations of Gujarat, while two are senior officials of urban development authorities. He also said that all those found guilty would be suspended.

The I-T department raided the residence of a senior town planner of Ahmedabad Urban Development Corporation and assistant town planner of AMC, on Tuesday. The officials recovered large amount of unaccountable assets.

“Vast amount of property worth Rs 17 lakh, registered in the name of the officers’ wife was confis cated,” the official informed. The team also seized incriminating documents and cash worth Rs four lakhs and jewellery worth Rs 13 lakhs.

IT officials also sealed two bank lockers that belonged to her. Significantly, the evader has admitted IT evasion of Rs 51 lakhs, the source informed. The official’s wife has four houses registered in her name, two in Ahmedabad and the rest in Calcutta.

Moreover, she also owns a farmhouse in Bopal and some land in Sarkhej. “The investigation is on and we are still expecting a bigger amount.”The IT department had issued search warrants and raided seven premises of both the accused Auda and Amc officials. A teacher at Asia high school and the wife of the AUDA official were suspected of tax evasions.

“We studied her IT returns and collected data of her entire property. We were also aware that her husband holds a good post in Auda and his name is there in the complaints lodged by residents, whose buildings collapsed during the earthquake,” the official said.

However Auda chairman, Surendra Patel said, “We are not taking any action against our town planners since the property is in the name of his wife.” The investigating team informed of having found movable and immovable property worth Rs 17 lakhs belonging to assistant TDO.

The official said that his bunglow is centrally air-conditioned and is worth Rs 40 lakhs.
Moreover, he owns three luxurious cars. IT officials have found that the official owns an entire third storey in the New York tower on the Gandhinagar highway and have rented it to Manekchowk Bank.

News Source : The AsianAge Ahmedabad Edition [ The coolest Newspaper for city ]

 

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