New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought
a reply from Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh on a
plea by Uttar Pradesh government seeking to take necessary
action against him for alleged irregularities in allotment of
plots at Lucknow by previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
The Mayawati government had in November last moved an
application in the apex court contending that an inquiry
report has held Singh guilty of misusing his power during the
previous rule for allotment of plots kept for economically
weaker sections.
A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan
issued a notice to the Samajawadi leader for a reply in four
weeks.
The court also took on record the fresh affidavit
filed by Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) alleging gross
irregularities in allotment of 28 plots at Vipul Khand in
Gomti Nagar which caused a loss of over Rs 2.88 crore to state
exchequer and sought cancellation of the allotment.
Singh`s counsel Mukul Rohatgi alleged a political
battle was being played out in courts and it has been
happening ever since the Mayawati government came to power.
"When there is a change in government, there is a
change in the affidavit," he said.
Rohtagi`s submission was countered by Uttar Pradesh
government`s counsel and senior advocate K K Venugopal who
said "fraud does not change".
He said the plots, which were meant for the weaker
sections of society, were transferred in the name of
influential persons on the very same day.
The affidavit by LDA said there was a violation in
the allotment procedure as no affidavit was taken from the
allottees and it was clearly evident that the officials in
connivance with the applicants had conspired to make the
allotment ignoring the rules.
"Even certain cases have come to light where
registration fees has been deposited after the date of lottery
draw and all the 28 allottees have been provided the benefit
of direct allotment and have been shown to have been alloted
through lottery system," the affidavit said.
It said the plots were meant for institutional
purposes but it was illegally converted into residential.
"The procedure for registration of residenetial plots
of LDA was given a complete go-by and the allotments were made
directly to the highly-placed influential persons," the
affidavit said.
Singh has also filed an affidavit pleading that the
inquiry undertaken by a retired High Court Judge, which was
scrapped by the Mayawati government, should be allowed to be
continue.
"It is submitted that the inquiry by the Commission
headed by 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
had said in his seven-page affidavit filed in the apex court.
Uttar Pradesh government and Singh had filed
applications and affidavits in the pending PIL by advocate
Vishwanath Chaturvedi who has alleged that the Samajwadi Party
leader was illegally allotted plots kept for economically
weaker sections by the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
Questioning the credentials of senior IAS officer R S
Lakha, who was asked by the Mayawati government to inquire
into the matter after scrapping of the Commission, Amar Singh
said "this officer has a bad reputation."
"The officer was accused of selling various plots at
lower rates causing a loss of Rs 50 crore to the exchequer and
he was also found guilty of possessing disproportionate
assets," Singh alleged in his affidavit.
Singh has refuted the allegation that he was illegally
allotted plots meant for economically weaker sections by the
then Mulayam Singh Yadav government.
Bureau Report
