Chester Hills project: CS alleges conspiracy; BJP seeks CM’s intervention

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Sanjay Gupta on Tuesday alleged that two former IAS officers and an engineer were conspiring to malign his reputation through baseless allegations linked to the violations in the Chester Hills housing project in Solan.Gupta claimed the move was aimed at preventing his service extension ahead of his scheduled retirement on May 31.Addressing the mediapersons at his Vidhan Sabha office, Gupta said he had earlier filed a complaint against one of the former IAS officers and the engineer during his tenure as chairman of the state electricity board, accusing them of irregularities.The chief secretary further said he had already shared all relevant details with the police in connection with an FIR registered at Chotta Shimla police station in the Chester Hills case, expressing confidence that the truth will emerge during the investigation.Gupta maintained that he had no involvement in the Chester Hills project, stating that it was approved by the former Real Estate Regulatory Authority chairman and that whatever land he had purchased had been through his hard-earned money and with the knowledge of the state govt.The controversy escalated after former CPI(M) MLA Rakesh Singha alleged violations in the allotment of 275 bighas of land for the project and demanded Gupta's removal.BJP MLA Satpal Singh Satti also raised the issue in the legislative assembly on Tuesday, urging action. Citing the serious nature of the allegations, the leader of the opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, asked the chief minister to break his silence and take appropriate steps.MSID:: 129930090 413 |