Despite mounting criticism from all corners, a cocky Akhilesh Yadav administration in Uttar Pradesh is set to chargesheet the suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal for allegedly taking on the powerful sand mafia in Noida. "The chargesheet is being prepared which will be served to her shortly," a senior official said in Lucknow. This came after minister Shivpal Singh Yadav justified her suspension saying it is an administrative decision and that it is in no mood to revoke the order. Yadav said it is a "misconception" that mining mafia had a hand in suspension of the SDM Gautam Buddha Nagar or Noida. “No, nothing as such now…It's an administrative matter." Yadav told reporters here when asked whether suspension of Nagpal will be revoked.
"A misconception has been spread that there is hand of mining mafia in suspension of Nagpal. The fact is that she was suspended for getting a wall of a religious place demolished," Yadav said. He said some people conspiring to orchestrate communal riots had made a false complaint to Nagpal about dispute on construction of wall and the officer trusted them. “The government will not spare any lax officer and action has also been initiated against Nagpal… There was no hand of mining mafia in the suspension," he said. Meanwhile, demands to revoke Durga’s suspension grew louder with the central body of IAS officers seeking that the "wrong" be undone immediately and opposition BSP saying honest officials were facing hardships in the "goonda and mafia raj" of SP.
The All-India IAS Association demanded immediate revocation of her suspension. "Whatever wrong has been should be immediately undone. Such action is not appropriate," association secretary Sanjay R Bhoos Reddy said in New Delhi. He said the association members will meet minister of state for personnel V Narayanasamy, personnel secretary Shyamal Sarkar and the Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth today in support of its demand. Narayanasamy, however, said the Centre is awaiting a report from the UP based on which it will decide the future course of action. Holding that Nagpal's suspension proved that "goonda and mafia raj" is prevailing under SP rule in the state, BSP chief Mayawati demanded that the Centre and the UP governor intervene in the matter. "In the prevailing dismal law and order situation and goonda and mafia raj, apart from the people of the state, honest officials are facing hardships. The suspension of Durga is an example, as she been sacrificed for mining mafia," Mayawati told reporters in Lucknow. Meanwhile, SP leader Narinder Bhati, who had earlier claimed that the Noida SDM was suspended on his complaint, denied his role in her suspension and said he would quit politics if his links to mining mafia are proved. "The SDM's role in demolition of boundary wall of religious place was the cause of her suspension and not illegal mining related issues," he said in Greater Noida.
The 28-year-old Durga was suspended on July 27 as sub-divisional magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar district. The 2010 batch IAS officer, whose cadre was changed to Uttar Pradesh from Punjab last August, is attached to the board of revenue in Lucknow. Her suspension has been challenged in the Allahabad High Court through a public interest litigation which is likely to come up for hearing today.
