Rishikesh sub-registrar suspended for major irregularities found in DM’s inspection

PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun

The sub-registrar of Rishikesh Harish Kumar was suspended on Saturday after major irregularities were discovered during a surprise inspection conducted by the Dehradun district magistrate Savin Bansal. The inspection revealed several serious lapses including stamp duty evasion amounting to crores of rupees.

During the inspection it was found that land for industrial use under the Doon Valley Special Master Plan 2031 was illegally registered at residential rates by dividing it into smaller plots, leading to significant revenue loss for the government. Officials said that an ineligible person was also working as an employee in the office without any official appointment letter.

The inspection was carried out after many complaints were received from the public about problems in the sub-registrar’s office. It was also found that in the absence of the sub-registrar, a clerk was illegally carrying out registration work. Further, many original documents of citizens were kept pending for months and even years, while rules state that these should be returned within three days. Urgent copies of registry documents, which should be given within 24 hours, were also delayed for months, officials said.

It was further ascertained that violations of provisions under the Indian Stamp (Uttarakhand Amendment) Act, 2015 and relevant rules of the Registration Manual were also carried out. Due to these violations, the government suffered heavy revenue losses.People present during the inspection alleged that they were being harassed to get their documents back. After the inspection and joint inquiry report, the district magistrate recommended strict action. The government then suspended the sub-registrar and started disciplinary action.