A sub-divisional magistrate in Moradabad was suspended on Wednesday, a fortnight after he was removed from his post after a furniture trader alleged that he bulldozed a portion of his house when asked for payment of goods.
The suspension was ordered by the Moradabad district administration after the then SDM of Bilari Ghanshayam Verma was found guilty in the preliminary investigation.
Additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi confirmed the suspension.
"The action of suspension against the officer shows that the state government is implementing its zero-tolerance policy against corruption," Awasthi said.
The matter came to the fore on July 11.
"I received a complaint from a furniture trader against the SDM on July 11. I directed the district magistrate to get the matter investigated from an additional district magistrate level officer," divisional commissioner Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said, adding the investigation was handed over to ADM (executive).
A couple of days after the commissioner ordered a probe, Verma was removed from his post by Moradabad district magistrate Shailendra Kumar Singh, and was attached to the district headquarters.
The complaint to the commissioner was made by Zahid Ahmed, a furniture trader, who said that Verma bought furniture worth Rs 2.67 lakh from his shop, and alleged that the officer gave orders to bulldoze his house after he asked for the money.
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