Varanasi Cracks Down on Fake Complaint Reports; Revenue Official Suspended, Multiple Staff Penalized

VARANASI — In a major administrative cleanup aimed at ensuring accountability, the Varanasi district administration has launched a severe crackdown on officials who manipulate or falsely dispose of public grievances. Following a rigorous cross-verification of grievance redressal records, District Magistrate Himanshu Nagpal uncovered multiple instances of complaints being closed using inaccurate, unverified, or fabricated reports, prompting immediate disciplinary action across several departments.

Key Suspensions and Disciplinary Actions

The administrative inquiry exposed negligence ranging from falsified land surveys to zero-field verification, resulting in swift penalties:

• Rajatalab Tehsil: A revenue official (Lekhpal) was placed under immediate suspension by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). An inquiry revealed the official had deliberately or carelessly logged an incorrect land survey number in a report concerning an encroachment on government land. A formal departmental inquiry has been initiated.

• Chiraigaon Block: Disciplinary action was officially recommended against another Lekhpal who submitted a closure report regarding the cancellation of residential certificates without verifying the primary official records.

• Chiraigaon Panchayat Wing: A Gram Panchayat Officer (GPO) had their salary for the month of July completely withheld and was slapped with a show-cause notice. The officer had allegedly submitted a field disposal report without ever visiting the site or speaking to the aggrieved complainant.

• Urban Jal Nigam: An Assistant Engineer was served a show-cause notice for casually forwarding closure reports regarding pending sewer line demands without establishing any contact with the citizens who raised the issues.