NOIDA: Two former CEOs of the Noida Authority are among 26 serving and retired officials named by the UP government’s special investigation team (SIT), which looked at instances of collusion between the government body and real estate company Supertech, in its report.
The SIT, which submitted the report on Saturday, was formed after the Supreme Court this August ordered the demolition of two 40-storey residential towers, Apex and Ceyane, at Supertech’s Emerald Court project in Noida and prosecution of Noida Authority officials who colluded to facilitate the construction of the two buildings in violation of law.
Other than the two CEOs, who headed Noida Authority in the late 2000s and the early 10s, other senior officials named in the report include two additional CEOs and an officer on special duty, according to a top source in the state government. All of them have retired from service. Only four of the 26 names are of serving officials. Two have passed away. The SIT also looked into the role of executives of the Supertech group.
It has recommended a three-pronged strategy to take the investigation to a conclusion. An FIR will be registered against all 26 officials of the Noida Authority who abetted wrongdoing. Sources said two private architects who submitted maps of the twin towers to the Noida Authority will also be named in the FIR. The SIT has recommended disciplinary proceedings such as withholding pension of retired employees and directed the Noida Authority to file a complaint against Supertech for violating building bylaws and urban development norms.
The four serving officials are all employees of the planning department at various industrial authorities. Planning manager Mukesh Goyal, who was earlier this year shifted to Gorakhpur Industrial Development Authority, has been already placed under suspension – as reported by TOI earlier. The others are an architect in the Noida Authority, two senior planning managers in the Greater Noida industrial Development Authority and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority.
The two former officials who have passed away also worked in the planning department of the Noida Authority. They were posted as planning assistants and handled the amended plans of the real estate group in 2006 and 2009.
TOI spoke to one of the serving officials named in the report. The official said, “Nobody has approached us for our version. Though nothing has been declared officially, I have been going through media reports. I would still say whatever was done at that time was done according to the provisions. It is a different matter that Noida Authority has been unable to justify its own sanction before court.”
Sources said that the SIT has forwarded a copy of its report to the vigilance wing of Uttar Pradesh Police for the FIR to be filed, likely on Monday. Sources said the Council of Architecture will be advised to blacklist the two architects against whom the FIR will be filed.
The SIT has, meanwhile, asked the Noida Authority to identify officials who were responsible for converting 7,000 square metres of green belt at Emerald Court for construction of the twin towers.
Infrastructure and industrial development commissioner and Noida Authority chairman Sanjiv Mittal, who headed the four-member SIT, said, “I have submitted the findings of the team to the government. Further action will be decided by the government now.”
During the course of approvals granted to the Supertech group to revise the original plan for its twin towers, resulting in the project’s height being increased twice to 40 floors eventually, the Noida Authority revised its building regulations twice. When the Emerald Court allotment was originally made in 2004, the Building Rules of 1986 were applicable. In June 2006, and again in November 2010, the Building Rules were revised. The revised plans for the twin towers were cleared in December 2006, November 2009 and March 2012.
