INDIA BUSINESS WORLD - OCTOBER 21^st - NOVEMBER 15^th - 2007

UP GOVT MOVES SC TO PROSECUTE MULAYAM IN LAND SCAM CASE

The Uttar Pradesh government has sought permission of the Supreme Court to initiate criminal prosecution against Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, party general secretary Amar Singh and others in illegal allotment of plots in a prime locality of state capital.

The Mayawati government in an application sought liberty to initiate criminal action against Mr Mulayam and others on the basis of a report submitted by Lucknow district commissioner Vijay Shankar Pandey. According to the report, the plots were allotted to the 28 beneficiaries by the Mulayam government illegally and in a fraudulent manner.

Advocate Shail Kumar Dwivedi appearing for the state government submitted before a bench comprising Justice C K Thakker and Justice Altamas Kabir, "we (UP government) want to act upon the recommendations made by the Vijay Shankar Pandey committee". It is in the public interest to act upon its recommendations, said the state counsel.

The committee in its report had said criminal FIR should be registered against the guilty in the case. The report had also said all allotments in the areas should be cancelled at once as those were made in violation of the prescribed norms. It had also recommended departmental action against the concerned Lucknow Development Authority officials. The state counsel said the apex court order was coming in the way. Against the backdrop of public interest and willingness of the government to proceed in the mater, the apex court order should be modified, pleaded Mr Dwivedi.

The apex court in its September 2005 order had said no transfer would be effected in the allotted land at Gomati Nagar. The court, during the hearing of the case, asked the government what was the urgency in the matter. The state counsel said it was in the public interest. The court then issued notices to Mulayam Singh, Amar Singh and others seeking replies as to why the plea of government should not be entertained. Besides, Mr Mulayam and Mr Singh, the apex court also sought response from C Rawath, father-inlaw of Mulayam's son Akhilesh Yadav, Anita Singh, then special secretary and 28 others.