Probe report recommends action against 3 IAS in plot scam

Lucknow, Sep 26 (UNI) The Uttar Pradesh Government has been advised to scrap the allotment of all the 28 plots in the prime Vipul Khand area in the state capital which were alloted by the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) during the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government in 2005.

The probe committee has also suggested action against three senior officials-- the then housing secretary K L Meena, Secretary LDA Rekha Gupta and LDA vice-chairman B B Singh--for the irregularities.

Lucknow commissioner Vijay Shanker Pandey, who was entrusted by the Mayawati government to probe into the matter, submitted his report to the government with the recommendations today.

Mr Pandey, refusing to divulge details of the report, told UNI here that it was up to the government to take action against the guilty.

Earlier on September 12, 2005, the Supreme Court had restrained 28 allottees including Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh and some other politicians and bureaucrats who were given plot's by the Mulayam Singh government in the prime locality of Gomti Nagar, from transferring them.

A Public Interest Litigation(PIL) relating to the Lucknow Development Authority land lease scam alleged that Mr Amar Singh was allotted a plot under the Economically Weaker Section Scheme at the behest of the Chief Minister.

The petition filed by Allahabad-based advocate Vishwanath Chaturvedi, sought the cancellation of the 28 plots alleging that they have been allotted illegally, arbitrary and in a corrupt manner on the instructions of the Chief Minister and his close aid.

The petitioner claimed that the plots were allotted to the near and dear ones of politicians and bureaucrats at a price below the prevailing market rate allegedly under the instructions of Shiv Pal Singh Yadav, state Agriculture Minister, Anita Singh, Special Secretary to Chief Minister and the Chairman of LDA.

The PIL has sought constitution of a Committee consisting of a retired judge of the apex court to go into the veracity of the allotment of plots or a probe by the indict those responsible.

Prominent persons who have been allotted land include R C S Rawat, father-in-law of Mr Yadav's son Akhilesh, Anita Singh, Special Secretary to the then Chief Minister and her husband Subhash Chandra.

UNI