Charges framed against ex-officials of Auda

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sleuths framed charges against former CEO of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) JJ Pandya, Auda adviser Janak Shah and mamlatdar PJ Damor on Thursday.

According to the ACB, the officials misused their positions and sold Auda land at a throwaway price in Sardarnagar area.

Sources said Auda had floated a tender in 1987 for sale of land near Sardarnagar. Amit Dutta from Panchter Hotel and Resorts had made a bid and paid Rs1 lakh as security money.

However, Dutta failed to pay the remaining Rs25 lakh. Later, Auda decided to float the tender once again which Dutta challenged in court. 

Both the parties later settled the issue and in 2007, Auda fixed the base price at Rs6,500 sq/m. However, Pandya, Shah and Damor allegedly sold the land to Dutta at a price much below the base price.