HC asks CBI to file affidavit on NH-74 scam

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the CBI to explain what steps it has taken to probe the alleged irregularities – running into hundreds of crores of rupees – in the procurement of land for NH-74 in Udham Singh Nagar district. Ironically chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had referred the case to CBI around six months ago.

Ramnarayan, a resident of Rudrapur, Udhamsinghnagar, had filed a petition in high court and demanded CBI probe in the matter The high court has asked the CBI to file an affidavit before it by October 28, explaining the steps it has taken to investigate the alleged scam.

The scam relates to land acquisition for widening the National Highway-74, for which agriculture land was shown as non-agricultural land allegedly with the complicity of officials to increase compensation by up to 20 times. Irregularities to the tune of Rs 240 crore were detected in the scam by the SIT.

The alleged scam happened during the previous government.

It was unearthed after the BJP came to power in the state in March. Chief Minister Rawat soon recommended a CBI probe into the issue on the basis of a report submitted by then Kumaon commissioner D Senthil Pandiyan, who headed an Special Investigation Team (SIT) which was looking into the scam.