The UP government, late on Saturday night, suspended Ms Durga Shakti Nagpal, sub-divisional magistrate of Greater Noida, for allegedly clearing an encroachment near a shrine.
Sources, however, said that she had been suspended because she had initiated a crackdown against sand mafia operating in the Yamuna-Hindon riverbed in the district and the sand mafia lobby mounted pressure for her suspension.
Ms Nagpal, a 2009 batch IAS officer, had registered 22 cases against the sand mafia and had seized 24 dumpers engaged in illegal quarrying. Fifteen persons were arrested in this connection last week.
UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, however, justified the move by saying that it was an administrative decision and the SDM had ordered the demolition of the compound of a worship place.
The Bahujan Samaj Party on Sunday criticised the suspension of the SDM and said that this was reflective of the Samajwadi Party’s affinity for criminals and anti-social elements which, in turn, was responsible fort he poor law and order situation in the state.
The BJP also criticised the government decision to suspend the officer and said that this showed that the state government was more interested in protecting the interests of the mafia than honest officers.
Reacting sharply to the SDM’s suspension, BJP leader Kalraj Mishra said that the action of the state government showed “it is not liking those officers who are leading drives against the mafia”.
“What mistake has she made?... It is not understood. But it is felt that she (Durga Shakti) was suspended under the influence of the mafia,” he said.