National   

Noida land scam: go-ahead for CBI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to continue its probe into the ‘Noida land scam’ reported during the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime in 2005. Several politicians, bureaucrats, judges and their kin were said to be beneficiaries in the scam.

“Since the Noida Authority and UPDESCO [Uttar Pradesh Development System Corporation Ltd] have no objection to complying with the Allahabad High Court order, the appeal does not survive,” said a Bench consisting of Justices H.K. Sema and Justice Aftab Alam.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by the NOIDA Authority, which challenged the High Court order directing the CBI probe into alleged irregularities in a controversial draw of lots in which the names of the daughter-in-law of the former Chief Justice of India Y. K. Sabharwal and the son of the acting Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court Jagdish Bhalla also figured.

Among the politicians who were declared successful in the draw of lots for allotment of around 1,250 residential plots were Munni Devi, Rewti Raman Singh, Rashid Masood, Jai Prakash (Samajwadi Party) and Ashok Pradhan (BJP).

The apex court, in its interim order on November 11, 2005, stayed the CBI investigation, which was ordered by the High Court on October 4, 2005 on a bunch of public interest litigation petitions.

However, soon after assuming office this year, the Mayawati government recommended to the Centre that a CBI inquiry be held into the alleged misconduct of the officials responsible for the controversial draw of lots.

Taking note of the State’s revised stand, the apex court Bench dismissed the appeal filed by the NOIDA Authority against the High Court order.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Industry leaders back Buddhadeb
Surrender policy not for foreign militants
Protest at Saudi consulate
Women parliamentarians stage dharna
Lok Sabha adjourned over Tehelka sting
Hope as normality is returning to Nandigram
I revise my statement: Biman Bose
Army patrols Kolkata streets
Bill on tenure of AIIMS, PGIMER directors passed
Noida land scam: go-ahead for CBI
Need for new aircraft stressed
Package has helped only banks: BJP
IFFI begins today; Shahrukh to be the chief guest
Media industry poised for big growth
Curbs on South Asian academics criticised
U.P. college Principal killed
Zee TV asked to tender apology
‘Private sector playing a major role in health’
Bill on bonus
PMK seeks adequate representation for OBCs in government jobs
Jyoti Basu suffers a fall
Lawyers can launch web sites

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu