Friday, March 4, 2011

SC issues notice to Uttarakhand govt in Citurjia scam

DEHRADUN: A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court (SC) has issued a show cause notice to the Uttarakhand Government seeking to order a CBI probe into the government's role in granting concessions to Citurjia company for converting industrial development area into residential at river Ganga's bank in Rishikesh.

The two-judge bench of Justice V. Ravindran and Justice A.K. Patnaik on Friday issued separate notices to the Uttrakhand government and Citurjia company on a Special Leave Petition(SLP) filed by advocate Awtar Singh Rawat on behalf of Darshan Bharti, secretary of an apolitical organisation, Uttarakhand Janta Sangharsh Morcha (UJSM).

The Uttrakhand government allowed Citurjia Biochemicals Company to convert 30 acres of land from industrial to residential and this according to the SLP had left the state exchequer poorer by Rs.300 crore.

The SLP was filed in the SC less than two months after a two-judge bench of Uttarakhand High Court in Nainital delivered its judgment in the case on December 20 last. In its judgment, HC had ordered Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank Government to order a probe by an independent agency to look into the role of CM, former chief secretary N S Napalchyal and 17 other senior officers in the scam.

Advocate Rawat said the bench has directed the two parties to respond to the show cause notices within a week explaining why a CBI probe into the scam be not ordered.

The SC's notices to Uttarakhand Government have dealt a blow to the state government that had heaved a sigh of relief when the Uttarakhand HC declined Darshan Bharti's plea for a CBI inquiry last year.

Official sources said that following the HC order, Uttarakhand Government has appointed a one-man commission of retired HC judge, Justice B.C. Kandpal to probe into the scam.

Uttarakhand Principal Secretary (Industrial Development) S.Raju said on Friday that the commission would look into the role of senior officers responsible for granting permission and alleged concessions to Citurjia Company. Raju said that the Commission would start its investigations soon.

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