CBI finds ‘prima facie case’ in Noida Sports City probe, asks SC to revisit curb on coercive action

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday told the Supreme Court it has found a “prima facie case” in the probe of alleged collusion between Noida authority officials and builders of the Sports City project in Gautam Budh Nagar, and asked the court to revisit its earlier decision preventing any coercive action in the case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday told the Supreme Court it has found a “prima facie case” in the probe of alleged collusion between Noida authority officials and builders of the Sports City project in Gautam Budh Nagar, and asked the court to revisit its earlier decision preventing any coercive action in the case.

The Sports City project in Sector 150 of Noida. (HT Archive)

The central agency made the statement to a bench of justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale, which is hearing a bunch of appeals filed by builders and homebuyers of the Sports City project located in sectors 78, 79 and 150 of Noida.

Appearing for the CBI, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, “The CBI has investigated and found a prima facie case... This court may consider revisiting its earlier order which allowed investigations to continue but no coercive steps to be taken.”

The bench told Mehta to file an affidavit in this regard while indicating that its “no coercive steps” order, passed in March 2025, was intended to safeguard the interest of homebuyers. “Our primary interest is to protect the homebuyers. We are not concerned with the builders or sub-contractors,” the bench clarified, posting the matter later this month.

Homebuyers in the project complained that contrary to the promise to provide 70% sports or recreation facilities in the project, the approved plans did not provide the same. On March 7, 2025, the Supreme Court allowed the CBI investigation to proceed, but it ordered that no coercive action shall be taken by the agency. On September 17, 2026, the court asked the CBI for the latest position with regard to the ongoing probe.

The court noted that several applications recently filed in the matter pertained to the Lotus Greens Sports City in Sector 150, wherein homebuyers alleged that the builder, Lotus Green Constructions Private Limited, did not comply with advertised plans.

To be sure, the Noida authority approved the project’s revised layout plan in May 2026, but homebuyers contended that the revised plans remained non-compliant with the promises and approached the court for resolution.

The application by homebuyers read, “The revised layout plan dated May 6 for the Sports City project is much worse than even the earlier revised master layout plan of 2017.”

They pointed out that it was on such illegalities that the Allahabad High Court passed scathing observations while directing the CBI to register a case and investigate how nearly 15,000 homebuyers were cheated of their hard-earned investments. They alleged they were “dishonestly lured” to part with their money by promising exclusive flats in the proposed “Integrated Sports City”, in which a minimum of 70% of the total project area was to be designed to have “recreational land use”, comprising world-class sports facilities.

During the hearing, the court was informed that the Noida authority filed an affidavit approving the revised layout plan for Sports City at Sector 150, which maintains 70% space for open area, recreational and sports facilities. The authority also said that pursuant to the HC order, all documents and original files were handed over to the CBI in April 2025.

The authority stated that the Public Accounts Committee, Uttar Pradesh, in August 2024, disposing of observations raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) about the Sports City Project, had directed the Noida authority to ensure development of the said project.

An affidavit filed by Noida authority assistant general manager Anil Kumar Singh on October 1 stated, “The NOIDA authority submits that the Resolution Plan has been successfully complied with, facilitating the development of the Sports City Project and safeguarding the interests of thousands of homebuyers who have invested therein.”