Yogi government suspends IAS officer over corruption allegations

Lucknow, July 16 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended IAS officer Devi Sharan Upadhyay on corruption charges. He was recently dismissed from his post as a member of the Judicial Revenue Council in Prayagraj and placed on a waiting list.

The officer was prosecuted under the Chief Minister’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and was found guilty of giving false instructions in a land lease case in Aligarh.

Devi Sharan Upadhyay is a 2012 batch IAS officer. He was transferred to the Judicial Revenue Council in July 2022.

He is accused of arbitrarily renewing the leases of 35 plots in Aligarh. The Aligarh district administration had recommended that these leases be terminated as they were in violation of the rules. The matter was referred to the Revenue Council. Following the clear recommendation of the district administration, it issued an order for the renewal of these leases.

The Aligarh District Commissioner had complained to higher authorities about this. The appointing authority had put him on the waiting list on July 13 and he has now been suspended on the orders of the Chief Minister.

During the suspension, he will be assigned to the tax office. A high-level committee has also been set up to investigate the case.