Political parties and top leaders owe crores to Govt

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) Political parties and top leaders owe crore for unauthorised occupation of government bungalows, the Union Urban Development Ministry has revealed in its latest affidavit filed in the Supreme Court.

The Congress owes about Rs one crore towards arrears licence fee for occupying prime government bungalows such as 26, Akbar Road and a huge building on Raisina Road as the party has not paid anything to the government since 2000.

Defaulters include BJP Chief Rajnath Singh,(Rs 16.8 lakhs) former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh,(Rs 18 lakhs), former Bihar Governor Buta Singh(Rs 4 lakhs), family of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao(Rs one lakh) and Rajmata Gayatri Devi of Jaipur royal family(Rs 22 lakhs). and According to the affidavit filed by Dr D Suresh, Director of Estates, out of total 497 unauthorised occupants 432 have either vacated or have been regularised. Remaining 65 cases are pending either in courts or before the competent authority for consideration.

Those regularised include Rajnath Singh, former Punjab DGP and Indian Hockey Federation chief KPS Gill, former Youth Congress chief Maninderjit Singh Bitta, Akali Dal MP and son of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, S S Badal and others.

The apex court bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal, P P Naolekar and R V Raveendran today adjourned the hearing of the PIL filed by S D Bandi as the government did not file a report detailing steps taken by it to recover the dues from the political parties and politicians and bureaucrats who have been in unauthorised occupation of government accomodation.

UNI