NEW DELHI: Smelling a rat in the functioning of Noida Authority and suspecting a nexus between its officials and landowners, Supreme Court on Thursday constituted a special investigation team (SIT) comprising senior IPS officers to probe the working of the Authority as well as likely payment of “excess compensation” for land acquired by it.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh picked three senior UP-cadre IPS officers hailing from other states – additional DGP S B Shiradkar, CB-CID IG M Rajesh P Rao and DIG Hemant Kutiyal – to form the SIT and tasked it with also probing whether the overall functioning of New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) “lacked transparency, fairness and objectivity”.
While instances of farmers not being paid adequate compensation for land acquired by the Authority were known, it now transpires there were as many as 20 instances where complaints were lodged about payment of excess compensation to some. UP Police had registered FIRs in 12 such cases.
The SC bench said the SIT will probe “whether the quantum of compensation paid was higher than the entitled amount and, if so, who the officers/officials responsible are,” adding that the SIT was free to probe any allied issue that may arise during the inquiry.
The SIT will investigate whether there was any connivance between landowners and Noida officials. It will also investigate whether overall functioning of Noida lacks transparency, fairness and objectivity,” the bench ordered, adding that the special probe team was free to probe any allied issues that may arise during the inquiry.
The Justice Kant-led bench asked the SIT to submit its report in sealed cover within two months.
The issue arose from the anticipatory bail petitions filed by a legal advisor and an assistant law officer of Noida, who were booked by UP Police four years ago for wrongdoings in payment of compensation for acquisition of land. The police had alleged that they had connived with landowners to release huge amounts of compensation, prima facie for extraneous considerations or on quid pro quo basis.
