Govt okays probe panel clean chit to Mayawati

IN A major political decision, the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government today approved a report giving clean chit to the Mayawati Government in the Taj Expressway project.

Expressway Project

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IN A major political decision, the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government today approved a report giving clean chit to the Mayawati Government in the Taj Expressway project.

A meeting of the State Cabinet today approved the report of the Justice Sidheswar Narain Commission that had been set up to probe the alleged irregularities in construction of the 182-km long highway between Noida and Agra.

Although the Cabinet decisions were not disclosed to the media, sources said the one-man commission in its report had not found any irregularities in the project that had been handed over to the JP Group Industries during Mayawati’s tenure as Chief MInister.

Soon after taking over as Chief Minister, Yadav had announced an inquiry into the project to probe the alleged irregularities. An inquiry commission headed by Justice SR Mishra was set up to conduct the probe. It also found no irregularities in the project that has been put in the cold storage during the tenure of Samajwadi Party-led government.

Later, on the directives of the Allahabad High Court the Justice Sidheswar Narain Commission was set up. The one-man commission submitted its report today.

Although the State Cabinet accepted the report of inquiry commission, it did not agree with the proposal that its term be extended by another three months.

The Cabinet also asked the company to submit a techno-economic feasibility report and commence work on the project immediately. The Commission in its report had found that the company’s tender was in accordance with the rules.

No irregularities were found in the allotment of 2500 hectares of land to company.