By B S Reporter
Suspended IAS officer Udit Prakash Rai and his family will not be able to live in the bungalow who had allegedly constructed after razing the historical monument. Delhi Court has directed the 2007 batch AGMUT officer to vacate the bungalow. The order was passed when Rai's wife Shilpi Udit Rai had challenged a July 28 notice from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) asking them to vacate the bungalow within 15 days.
Rai, who was serving as secretary in Mizoram government before suspension last week, was allotted the bungalow in Jal Vihar when he was the DJB CEO between October 18, 2021 and May 31, 2022. Since then his wife Shilpi Udit Rai along with her children has been residing in the bungalow.
Justice Prateek Jalan asked whether the officer has a right to retain the accommodation once he has been transferred out of the city. To this, the petitioner's counsel said Mizoram is a “hard posting” due to which Rai, a 2007 IAS batch officer, is entitled to retain the government premises in Delhi.
Justice Jalan, after hearing the arguments, directed the PWD principal secretary to allot an alternative accommodation in accordance with rules”. The court also asked Rai's wife to give an undertaking, signed by the couple, before it within a week, stating that they will vacate the Jal Vihar Bungalow.
Earlier last week, the Ministry of Home Affairs had suspended Rai over allegations of demolishing a historical monument to construct a government accommodation.
According to an order issued by the MHA, departmental proceedings are being contemplated against Rai.
During suspension period, the headquarters of Rai would be Mizoram and he will not be able to leave the headquarters without prior permission from competent authority.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
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