JOIN USEx-chief engineer in Noida faces CBI
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday directed the CBI to probe into the charges of corruption against former chief engineer of Noida Authority Yadav Singh, who had allegedly amassed wealth over Rs 1,000 crore through shady deals and shell companies.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice S N Shukla gave the orders on a writ petition filed by suspended IPS officer Amitabha Thakur’s wife Nutan Thakur.
The verdict was being perceived as a setback to the UP government, which had strongly opposed transfer of investigation against Yadav Singh to the CBI.
The state government had pleaded in the court that the Income Tax Department, which had conducted a series of raids on Yadav’s house at Noida, was already conducting a probe. Sources said the government could challenge the order in the supreme court.
“The Law Department will study the HC order and thereafter take a call on whether to challenge the same in the apex court,” said a senior official.
Yadav Singh, who had been appointed chief engineer of Noida Authority during Mayawati’s stint in 2007, was suspended when the Samajwadi Party formed the government in 2012. But he was later not only reinstated but was again made chief engineer at the same place.
Sources said Singh handled projects worth a whopping Rs 8,000 crore and alleged to have amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore. He owned scores of plots and investments in several companies.
The IT raids had yielded unaccounted cash, jewellery and other assets worth hundreds of crores. BJP welcomed the order for CBI probe and said it would unearth Singh’s connections with the BSP and SP. Both these parties have, however, denied their link with Singh.