Amar Singh’s plot: HC directs state to submit documents

Lucknow, June 02 The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court directed the state government today to produce all documents related to the plot allotted to the Samajwadi Party national general secretary Amar Singh during the chief ministership of Mulayam Singh Yadav.
In 1994, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) had sanctioned a 35 sq m plot to Singh under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category applicable to those whose annual income was less than Rs 12,000.
Later, the plot was swapped with another plot (no 2/13) measured in 354.25 sq m in the posh Vipul Khand.
The Mayawati government had issued an order on April 21, asking the Principal Secretary (Urban Development) SR Lakha to probe the matter, which was challenged by Singh in a writ petition filed last week.
The petitioner’s lawyer and former advocate general Virendra Bhatia had challenged Lakha’s capacity to investigate as he was facing various inquiries on different issues.
The advocate also argued that since a related case was pending before the Supreme Court, it was not justified to initiate the proceedings in the High Court.
Representing the state government, Advocate General Jyotindra Mishra and chief standing counsel DK Upadhyay apprised the Bench that Lakha had completed his inquiry and the report was submitted before the government much before the petition was filed.
The government advocate also said that no such case of plot allotment to the Samajwadi Party leader was pending before the Supreme Court and the state government was competent to order a probe by any officer of its choice.
Accordingly, the petition should be dismissed, argued Mishra
Express News Service
Posted online: Tuesday , June 03, 2008 at 02:43:35Updated: Tuesday , June 03, 2008 at 02:43:35
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