Kejriwal slams Haryana govt for officer's transfer

India Against Corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal came out strongly against the Haryana government for transferring IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who was probing the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal. Alleging the Haryana government of favouring Vadra and his family, Kejriwal said, "Khemka is an honest person. It seems the whole transaction was done to get the licence. We want to know from the Haryana CM that is there is any IAS transfer policy in the state? Does that policy allow transfer of IAS officer who is investigating Vadra? The Haryana government is favouring Vadra's family," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal also tweeted, saying the state government ought to explain the turn of events. "Ashok Khemka transferred by Haryana government because he was probing Vadra's land deals in Haryana. We strongly criticise that," Kejriwal said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has also stepped up its attack on the Congress saying the incident shows how the Gandhi family abuses power. "This shows the powers of Vadra and the family. A senior officer investigates him and he's transferred. This kind of protection and corruption has to stop. If you mess with the first family of the Congress party, there is a price to pay - that's the message that this has given to the bureaucracy," BJP leader siddharth Nath Singh said.

A senior IAS officer in Haryana government's Land Registration Department was transferred for reportedly probing the Robert Vadra-DLF land deal. He cancelled the mutation of a 3.531 acre plot of land in Manesar-Shikohpur that Congress President Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra sold to DLF for Rs 58 crore in 2009, befor leaving office.

Senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka was transferred as the DG Haryana Seed Development Corporation, three days after he ordered a probe into the land deals between Vadra and DLF on October 8. Before leaving office, on October 15, Khemka cancelled the mutation of the land, citing irregularities in the transfer of land from Vadra's Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited to the real estate giant. CNN-IBN has accessed the document ordering the cancellation of the mutation. The land deal in Manesar-Shikohpur reportedly had signatures by an unauthorised Haryana official, the document said.

This land deal was, in fact, the first in a series of major land deals between Vadra and DLF and social activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal had referred to it, alleging irregularities. Vadra, who reportedly bought the plot of land for Rs 7.5 crore sold it within three months to DLF for Rs 58 crore. Vadra then reportedly used that money to buy premium DLF apartments.

What is mutation?

Mutation is a record of the transfer of title of property between two entities. It is saved in the government's revenue records. Mutation does not mean a legal title to the person to whom the property has been mutated.