The Uttar Pradesh government is likely to file FIRs against Amar Singh and seven IAS officers after an inquiry charged them with fraudulently allotting plots during  Mulayam Singh Yadav’s regime in 2005-06.

According to the inquiry report submitted to the government on Wednesday by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Shankar Pande, the accused granted undue favours and disregarded norms in allotment of 28 plots under the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). These plots in the capital’s posh Gomtinagar area were allotted to relatives of high ranking IAS and IPS officers for rates far below the prevailing market prices.

The  allotments have reportedly caused  loss of around Rs 2.89 crore to the exchequer. This was done by deliberately selling the land at Rs 3,000 per square metre, instead of  selling it at the prevalent rate of Rs 4,000 per square metre. The allotees made the payments for the plots a day before the results of the lottery for plot allocation were revealed.

Those IAS officers indicted in the report are the then housing secretary K L Meena, LDA vice-chairman BB Singh, successive secretaries Rekha Gupta and Vijay Kumar Yadav, joint secretary  J B Singh, chief town planner C P Sharma and finance controller Mohan Yadav.

According to Special Secretary (Home) R K Mishra, the government is scrutinising the report and the FIR process “may start any day now.”

The FIRs are to be lodged under the Anti-Corruption Act and criminal cases under various provisions of the IPC.

Criticising the Mayawati government, Samajwadi Party President  Mulayam Singh Yadav said, “The government is initiating a wrong tradition. Do those who enjoy proximity with the SP have no right to own land?”

Mr Yadav also remarked that the government, by selectively targeting SP leaders, was creating problems for itself.