AAI never gave housing permit to CISF DIG

After MAIL TODAY exposed on Monday how the building has been renovated as Sinha's residence, an AAI official said "the building was allotted for an office and not for any residential purpose".

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AAI never gave housing permit to CISF DIG
Signboard in front of DIG SK Sinha's residence clearly shows how he has appropriated the Bomb Detection Squad office.

Signboard in front of DIG SK Sinha
Signboard in front of DIG SK Sinha's residence clearly shows how he has appropriated the Bomb Detection Squad office.

It's like a house of cards where Central Industrial Security Force's Deputy Inspector General S.K. Sinha is residing now. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad's office near the Delhi's IGI Airport that he appropriated to turn it into his residence, has no permit for such residential use. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has clearly said that no permission was ever granted to Sinha for such a change of use.

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After MAIL TODAY exposed on Monday how the building has been renovated as Sinha's residence, an AAI official said "the building was allotted for an office and not for any residential purpose".

The MAIL TODAY expose of the illegal conversion of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad's office outside the airport has now resulted in authorities ordering an inquiry into the matter on Monday. CISF Director General Arvind Ranjan, who ordered the departmental inquiry, told MAIL TODAY: "The IG (airport sector) has been instructed to take appropriate action and report."

Sources told this correspondent that IG (airport sector) R.R. Sahay and other senior officials visited the building located near the office of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to take stock of the situation and to report to Ranjan, who is "totally displeased" by the "unauthorised occupation by one of his own officers".

The MAIL TODAY photograph negates the CISF claim that the office of BDS had not been shifted to Mahipalpur Lines.
The MAIL TODAY photograph negates the CISF claim that the office of BDS had not been shifted to Mahipalpur Lines.

Staunch CISF

The CISF has been maintaining that the office had not been shifted to Mahipalpur Lines and it still exists at the earlier location. However, MAIL TODAY possesses photographs that negate the claims of the CISF.

The AAI, which handed over the building to the CISF to house the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad office, specifically said it was not aware of the structure being converted into a residence. AAI public relation officer G.S. Bawa said: "AAI is not aware about such development. We have not paid any renovation charges for that."

Sources said Sinha initially tried to procure funds on the pretext that he was renovating the office. "When Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) refused to provide funds, Sinha asked the works department at CISF headquarters to release funds for the building, but headquarters also turned him down, saying the building does not belong to CISF and the force has no provision to release funds for such works. Later, Sinha renovated the house on his own," said a source.

According to sources, anything between ` 3 lakh and 5 lakh was spent to turn the office into Sinha's residence. As part of the renovation, the flooring, gates, walls and staircase were changed or replaced. The entire work took almost four months. Sinha has already admitted that he converted the office into his residence at his own expense.

The IG (airport sector) has been instructed to take appropriate action and report - DG CISF Arvind Ranjan
The IG (airport sector) has been instructed to take appropriate action and report - DG CISF Arvind Ranjan

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Many questions

"Many airport officials find it hard to believe that a senior official spent such a large amount to renovate the building just to save a few minutes of travelling when the government has provided him with a car. Earlier, many officials were living in Dwarka and never had any such issue," said a source.

According to a senior official in the Civil Aviation Ministry, Sinha's intentions are questionable. "The intention of the DIG is questionable if he has paid the money to renovate a government building. Also, he didn't inform his department," said the official who did not want to be named.

"As the building belongs to the government, it might be possible that the electricity and water bills will be paid by the government and not by the DIG. An impartial inquiry is required to get to the bottom of things," the official said.

CISF officials claimed the Squad was never based in the building mired in controversy. But when a MAIL TODAY team visited the office on Monday, it found various equipment used by the Squad still lying in the building. A Squad team member, who did not want to be identified, said officials used to have their offices on the ground and first floors of the building.

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But when Sinha decided to turn the building into his residence, the staff was asked to shift to Mahipalpur Lines. After Sinha moved into the building, no personnel were allowed to come inside, the team member said.

Sinha's action of converting the office into his residence clearly shows that he acted with impunity. Observers say that it remains to be seen what actions are taken to ensure that similar actions are not repeated by anyone else in the future.