CHANDIGRAH: Former Gurgaon divisional commissioner Pradeep Kasni, who was transferred abruptly from the post earlier this week, met chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday here and explained to him that his shifting was unjustified, as he had no role in the reported “over-estimation” of compensation to farmers for land acquisition in Rewari district.
Kasni, who was posted as Gurgaon divisional commissioner only about a month ago, was transferred on Monday (December 29, 2014) allegedly over an error in computing land compensation that would have cost the state government Rs. 500 crore. Since Kasni has not been given any new posting, the reason behind his shifting is said to be working out a wrong compensation for a land that was once being acquired for Manesar Bawal Investment Region (MBIR).

The council of ministers had also decided last week not to acquire the 3,664-acre-four-kanal land in 16 villages for the investment region in Rewari district. Asked about his meeting with the CM, Kasni said that he had explained to Khattar that he had no role in working out the compensation amount, as it had been done in 2011 before the acquisition started, which was before his joining as Gurgaon divisional commissioner on November 21, 2014. “Moreover, as divisional commissioner, I had no role in fixing the compensation rates, which were worked out before my joining in Gurgaon,” he said.
Claiming that he had given all the relevant documents to Khattar, he said he had also told the CM about the role of the land mafia and some unscrupulous officials who misled the government on the issue.
Got no documents: Haryana CM
When inquired about his meeting with former Gurgaon divisional commissioner Pradeep Kasni, the chief minister told the media at Panchkula later in the day that they had only exchanged New Year wishes and that Kasni had not given him any documents. This was Kasni’s 62nd transfer order in his 30-year career, the highestever after Haryana bureaucrat Ashok Khemka. Kasni, a 1984 batch Haryana Civil Services officer, was promoted tothe IAS in 2008.