NH scam accused elusive, police to attach property
After failing to arrest DP Singh, who was suspended as a special land acquisition officer for his alleged role in the multi-crore national highway 74 scam, special investigation team (SIT) sleuths have put up a notice on his house here to attach the property
After failing to arrest DP Singh, who was suspended as a special land acquisition officer for his alleged role in the multi-crore national highway 74 scam, special investigation team (SIT) sleuths have put up a notice on his house here to attach the property.
“SIT has sufficient evidence against Singh; he didn’t cooperate as desired by the team during questioning,” said senior superintendent of police Sadanand Date.
Singh has been absconding since October 28, the day the Uttarakhand High Court vacated a stay on his arrest. He had got the stay on October 13.
In March this year, the then Kumaon commissioner, D Senthil Pandiyan, unearthed the Rs 300-crore scam in land procurement for NH 74 construction in Udham Singh Nagar district.
The nature of the land was allegedly changed from agricultural to commercial under section 143 of Zamidari Abolishment and Land Reforms Act 1950. Farmers were allegedly given many times higher compensation with the collusion of revenue officials.
An FIR was lodged on March 11 against around 100 people, including revenue and National Highway Authority of India officials. Chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat suspended six state civil service officials, including Singh, in April.
SIT officials said the property attachment notice move would force Singh to surrender. SIT got permission from the court last week to attach the suspended official’s property.
Earlier, police issued a look-out notice against Singh. Sleuths conducted raids in Delhi, Dehradun, Bareilly and Singh’s native place Sitapur to arrest him, but he has remained at large.