In a major action in a corruption case, the Uttar Pradesh government has dismissed senior PCS officer Harish Chandra from service in connection with the ₹ 4,000 crore land scam in Noida.
Disciplinary action was initiated against him on September 27, 2013, for serious irregularities in the leaseback of 3,81,527 square metres of land acquired and occupied by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority in Sectors 140-A, 141, 142 and 143 of Shahdara village, while he was posted there. The investigation was handed over to the then divisional commissioner of Meerut on September 27, 2013.
During his tenure at the Noida Development Authority, a survey was conducted to assess the population of Shahdara village. Approval has been granted to end the ongoing departmental disciplinary proceedings against him. The name of the original cultivator was not recorded in column 9. The area referred to the regularisation committee was not mentioned in column 13. The dismissal order states that Harish Chandra, the then secretary, Noida, is dismissed on the basis of the allegations proven in the departmental disciplinary proceedings instituted by the government on November 27, 2013, the consent provided by the Public Service Commission, Prayagraj, on January 6, 2022, and the facts presented in the order of the Allahabad high court, Lucknow bench, dated September 3, 2026.
In the probe report, the then divisional commissioner said Harish Chandra was involved in serious irregularities and corruption. In his report, the investigation officer said Chandra concealed several facts for personal gains.
