Dehradun: In a decisive move against an alleged land scam in Haridwar, the Uttarakhand government on Friday recommended the dismissal of former Haridwar Municipal Corporation (HMC) commissioner Varun Chaudhary, a 2017 batch IAS officer, with immediate effect. The case involves the purchase of 2.3 hectares of land near a garbage dumping site at Sarai village for an inflated price of Rs 54 crore. This marks the first instance in the state where termination of services has been recommended for an IAS officer.
Action Against Officials
Additionally, the government found former Haridwar district magistrate (DM) Karmendra Singh guilty of serious negligence in discharging his duties and decided to impose a major penalty on him. Officials stated that recommendations are being sent to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) for action against both officers as per rules. Furthermore, directions have been issued to record an adverse entry against former Haridwar SDM Ajayveer Singh and withhold three of his increments for his role in the matter.
Vigilance Probe and Cases
Following a vigilance probe, the state has approved registering a case against 10 individuals, including Chaudhary, who were prima facie found guilty. Besides Chaudhary, cases will be filed against former Haridwar assistant municipal commissioner Ravindra Kumar Dayal, ex-tax superintendent Lakshmikant Bhatt, former assistant engineer and in-charge executive engineer Anand Singh Mishran, ex-property clerk Vedpal, and former cartographer Dinesh Kandpal. Additionally, a case will be lodged against land sellers and other involved persons, including Suman Devi, Jitendra Kumar, Abhishek Yadav, and Sujit Kumar Singh.
Government's Stance
A communique from the chief minister's office on Friday, citing CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, emphasized that transparency, accountability, and public interest are paramount in governance and administration, and the strictest action against guilty officers will continue.
Details of the Scam
The alleged fraud in the land purchase came to light last year, prompting CM Dhami to order a probe. Preliminary investigations revealed irregularities, leading to the suspension of several officers, including then-DM Singh and ex-municipal commissioner Chaudhary. Subsequently, a thorough investigation was conducted through a special inquiry and audit.
The land purchase process began in September 2024 when farmers submitted a proposal to sell their land. An application was then moved to the SDM for land use conversion, which was completed within days. In November 2024, the HMC purchased the land. The land use was later changed from agricultural to commercial, causing the circle rate to surge from Rs 6,000 per square meter to Rs 25,000 per square meter. Allegations claim the land price was inflated nearly four times from Rs 15 crore to Rs 54 crore.
Mayor's Intervention and Probe
Sensing wrongdoing, Haridwar Mayor Kiran Jaisal met CM Dhami on April 27, 2025, and informed him about the episode. A probe team led by IAS officer Ranveer Singh Chauhan was set up on April 29, and the panel submitted a 100-page report to the government on May 30, 2025. Meanwhile, the bank accounts of the farmers who sold the land were frozen, followed by an audit and vigilance probe.
