Finance Ministry defends DEA Secretary Shaktikanta Das in Chennai land deal

NEW DELHI: Finance Ministry today defended Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das in a controversial Chennai land allocation deal saying the allotment was made in line with terms of conditions decided by the state Cabinet.

Das, a Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, is being alleged to have been involved in allocation of 100 acres of land to a US firm Sanmina SCI Corporation at a concessional price in July 2007 when he was secretary in the state government.

"Lands are alloted to those setting up industries in a state at values which are fixed by the state Cabinet," the Finance Ministry said in a rare Facebook post defending Das.

When the allegations were first made by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had strongly defended his bureaucrat saying it was an "unfair and false attack on a disciplined civil servant".

Besides Facebook, the Finance Ministry also took to the twitter to rubbish reports of Das' involvement in the land deal.

"Allegations made against Secretary DEA Shaktikanta Das on a website is totally false and mischievous," the Ministry spokesperson said in a tweet.

Fin Ministry spokesperson:Allegations made against Secretary,DEA Shaktikanta Das on a website titled ‘PGurus' is totally false & mischievous

— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) July 5, 2016

In another tweet the spokesperson said "the land in question was allocated in accordance with the price and terms and conditions decided by the state Cabinet".

The land in question was allotted in accordance with the price and terms and conditions decided by the State Cabinet.

— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) July 5, 2016

In the Facebook post, the Ministry said the entire terms of allotment are approved by the state Cabinet and the orders are issued by the secretary (Industries).

"This land was also alloted in accordance with the price and terms and conditions decided by the state Cabinet," it added.