IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who once made headlines during a conflict with the Samajwadi Party government under Akhilesh Yadav, is now under scrutiny by the Yogi Adityanath government. The government has issued notices to District Magistrate (DM) Durga Shakti Nagpal and former DM Mahendra Bahadur Singh, demanding explanations for alleged supervisory laxity and negligence in the land survey case of Lakhimpur Kheri. The Department of Appointments has formally sought clarification from both officers.
The action follows Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s strict directive after a viral social media video highlighted allegations of corruption and a six-year delay in conducting a land survey in Lakhimpur Kheri. CM Yogi instructed the Department of Appointments to investigate the matter thoroughly and take stringent action against those found guilty. Preliminary findings led to the immediate suspension of four officials, including one IAS and three PCS officers.
Notices to Durga Shakti Nagpal and Mahendra Bahadur Singh
The Department of Appointments has asked both the current DM, Durga Shakti Nagpal, and her predecessor, Mahendra Bahadur Singh, to explain why the prolonged delay in land surveys was not addressed during their respective tenures. Mahendra Bahadur Singh served as DM from October 2021 to June 2024, while Durga Shakti Nagpal has been in charge since June 25, 2024.
The government questioned why they failed to review and resolve the case, despite clear directives from CM Yogi that non-disputed revenue matters should be resolved promptly. District Magistrates are required to conduct monthly reviews to ensure no case is unnecessarily delayed.
The issue came to light after retired teacher Vishweshwar Dayal approached BJP MLA Yogesh Verma, alleging that he had been running from pillar to post for six years to get a survey of his land conducted, with no resolution in sight.
