The State Information Commission has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the principal secretary of the state Public Works Department for disregarding its order on providing information to an RTI applicant and failing to appear before the commission.

The authorities have been asked to get the fine deposited in state treasury before September 14, the next date of hearing.

The matter relates to an RTI petition of one Ridual Herman, who had asked for information on the compensation given to people whose land on Ashok Marg was acquired by the government back in 1949. He had filed the petition in 2007 on behalf of Jamal-uddin, grandson of late Afzal Beg.

Beg was the owner of one of the acquired plots on Ashok Marg, where important government buildings like Shakti Bhawan and Indira Bhawan have been constructed.

Though Afzal Beg’s mazar (tomb) is present at Jawahar Bhawan premises, his compensation claims were ignored by the government, claims Herman.

While Beg died waiting for the money, his grandson Jamal-uddin is living in penury, and has been running from pillar to post asking the government to provide him the money.

“When assurances from the government officials, including the chief minister, failed to evoke a response, we moved the Governor’s office for help,” said Herman. “Through the representation, we had sought to know the grounds on which our claims were not accepted.”

Claiming that Jamal-uddin is the rightful owner of the land, Herman said they had attached the 1963 orders of a Civil Court — accepting their claims on the land — totheir representation to the Governor.

... contd.