Shimla:
Facing criticism for going slow in taking action relating to land deals during the previous BJP regime, the Himachal government on Sunday charge-sheeted two IAS officers for allegedly facilitating leasing of panchayat land to HPCA for constructing a hotel at Dharamsala.
Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Shanan and senior IAS officer R S Gupta were charge-sheeted for facilitating leasing of panchayat land to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, headed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, for construction of a luxury hotel in Dharamsala, officials said.
The two officers were earlier issued show cause notices but the government did not find their replies satisfactory and charge-sheeted them.
The matter pertained to the period when Shanan was the Principal Secretary (Revenue) and R S Gupta the Kangra Deputy Commissioner.
When asked about the charge-sheeting of the two IAS officers, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said "it is a routine matter."
He said investigations were in an advanced stage in the HPCA land lease case and a regular FIR would be lodged soon.
Singh said his government was not going slow but was following the prescribed procedure before taking any action.
The Congress, while in Opposition has made it a major election issue and promised to get the matter investigated.
