Congress gets eviction notice over bungalow illegally occupied by Sonia Gandhi's secretary

By Payal Mehta
New Delhi [India], April 1 (ANI): The Directorate of Estates (DoE), under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has sent an eviction notice to the Congress party to vacate one of its bungalows situated at C-II/109 Chanakyapuri in New Delhi.
As per the documentation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, this property in the national capital was given to the Congress party, but it has been brought to the notice that Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi's secretary Vincent George has been living in this property.
A copy of the eviction notice sent by the DoE on March 25 accessed exclusively by ANI reads, "Whereas, I, the undersigned, am of the opinion on the grounds specified below that you are in unauthorized occupation of the Public Premises mentioned in the SCHEDULE below and that you should be evicted from the said premises...You have been continuing to occupy Public Premises as specified in the SCHEDULE below even after it's allotment stands cancelled w.c.f. 26-06-2013 vide letter No. 7/259/94-TS dated 22.01.2015 issued by the Die. of Estates."
The notice further adds, "Now. therefore, in pursuance of sub-section (1) of Section 3B of the Public Premises Act. 1971, I hereby call upon you to show cause within 3 working days at 02:30 P.M. for personal hearing as to why an order of eviction should not be made. You may appear before me in person or through a duly authorized representative capable to answer all material questions connected with the matter along with the evidence which you intend to produce in support of the cause. In case, you fail to show cause and/ or appear within the stipulated time, the case will be decided ex parte."
It may also be noted that the total dues for the property which remain unpaid amount to a whopping Rs 3.08 crore. Bungalow No. C-ll/109 in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi occupied by Vincent George, personal secretary to Sonia Gandhi shows huge pending rent dues and the last time rent paid was in August 2013.
In February, a notice was sent by the Central government to the Congress party to pay the pending rent and dues for three properties including the Congress office, Sonia Gandhi's official residence and this Residence which is occupied by her secretary, read the notice. (ANI)