Undue favour to Prakash Jha, even after PIL : Congress

Patna, July 30 (UNI) The Bihar Congress today alleged that the NDA government was trying to "suppress" the facts of reported scam in allotment of lands to noted film maker Prakash Jha at throw-away prices in Patna and other important cities of the state.

Talking to mediapersons here, Chief spokesman of the state unit of the party, Prem Chandra Mishra said that Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority(BIADA) had taken the decision to allot lands to Mr. Jha at commercial rates on March 8, 2006 for raising 'multiplex' in industrial areas of Patna, Sitamarhi, Hajipur, Aurangabad, Buxar and Muzaffarpur.

Prior to the allotment Mr, Jha had moved an application on March 1, 2006 for allotment on industrial rates as film industries had been granted the status of 'industries' by the Government of India.

Mr Mishra also alleged that ignoring the PIL filed on July 17 in this connection, BIADA reviewed the commercial rates and allotted the same to Mr Jha at industrial rates on July 22.

He alleged that the BIADA reviewed its decision in a "desperate" move and the step was a glaring example of the attempt by the state government to "hush up" the matter.

Mr. Mishra said that he had filed the PIL in Patna High Court challenging the decision of the state government for allotting the lands to Mr Jha in concerned areas at throw-way prices without inviting open tenders in this regard.

He had also prayed before the court to order a CBI inquiry to unearth the entire facts in the matter.

UNI XC/RS TJP DB1617