SC notice to Amar Singh in LDA plot allotment scandal

The Supreme Court today sought a reply from Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on a plea by the Uttar Pradesh government seeking to take action against him for alleged irregularities in the allotment of plots in Lucknow by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

The Mayawati government had in November last year moved an application in the apex court contending that an inquiry report had held Amar Singh guilty of misusing his power in the allotment of plots kept for poor sections.

A bench headed by chief justice KG Balakrishnan issued a notice to the Samajwadi Party politician, asking him to reply in four weeks.

The court also took on record the fresh affidavit filed by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) alleging gross irregularities in the allotment of 28 plots at Vipul Khand in Gomti Nagar.

The LDA said the allotment caused a loss of over Rs2.88 crore to the state exchequer and sought its cancellation.

Mukul Rohatgi, counsel for Amar Singh, alleged that a political battle was being played out in the courts ever since the Mayawati government had come to power two years ago. "When there is a change in government, there is a change in the affidavit," he remarked.

Rohtagi's submission was countered by Uttar Pradesh government counsel KK Venugopal who said, "Fraud does not change."

Venugopal said the plots meant for weaker sections of society were transferred to influential persons the very same day.

The LDA's affidavit said there was a violation in the allotment procedure as no affidavit was taken from the allottees and it was evident that officials, in connivance with the applicants, had conspired to make the allotment ignoring the rules.

"Certain cases have come to light where registration fees have been deposited after the date of lottery draw and all 28 allottees have been provided the benefit of direct allotment and have been shown to have been allotted through the lottery system," the affidavit said.

It said the plots were meant for institutional purposes but were illegally converted into residential plots. "The procedure for registration of residenetial plots of the LDA was given a complete go-by and the allotments were made directly to the highly placed influential persons," the affidavit said.

Singh on his part has filed an affidavit pleading that the inquiry undertaken by a retired high court judge, which was scrapped by the Mayawati government, be allowed to be continue.

"It is submitted that the inquiry by the commission headed by a retired judge of the high court, which was scrapped by the present government, should be allowed to continue and a report of inquiry should be submitted to this court," Singh said in his seven-page affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.

The Uttar Pradesh government and Singh had filed applications and affidavits in the pending public-interest petition filed by advocate Vishwanath Chaturvedi, who has alleged that the Samajwadi Party leader was illegally allotted plots kept for economically weaker sections by the erstwhile government.

Questioning the credentials of senior IAS officer RS Lakha, who was asked by the Mayawati government to inquire into the matter after the commission was scrapped, Amar Singh said in his affidavit, "This officer has a bad reputation. The officer was accused of selling various plots at lower rates causing a loss of Rs50 crore to the exchequer and he was also found guilty of possessing disporportionate assets."

Singh denied that he was illegally allotted plots meant for poorer sections.