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UP CM orders special panel probe into violations in Supertech project
The chief minister also directed the officials to register criminal cases against the guilty persons, if need be.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday ordered that a special inquiry committee be constituted to probe the violations of building norms in the construction of two 40-storey towers at the Supertech Emerald Court project in Noida’s Sector 93 -- a day after the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of the twin towers pointing out a “nefarious complicity of the planning authority in the violation by the developer of the provisions of law”.
The chief minister also directed the officials to register criminal cases against the guilty persons, if need be, as he reviewed the matter in Lucknow, an official spokesperson said. “In the case of Noida’s Supertech Emerald Court case, the orders of the Supreme Court should be ensured in letter and spirit. Irregularities in this case have been going on continuously since 2004,” the CM said, according to the spokesperson.
“A special inquiry committee should be constituted at the government level and a thorough investigation be done,” Adityanath said at a high-level meeting in Lucknow on Wednesday.
On August 4, while reserving its judgment in the case, the apex court observed that the conduct of the Noida authority “reeks of corruption from the eyes, ears and nose”.
A bench of justices Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud and MR Shah on Tuesday directed that Supertech shall carry out the demolition at its own expense and will complete it within three months under the supervision of Noida authority and an expert body such as the Central Building Research Institute.
Further, the court ordered that Supertech will refund money to all the existing homebuyers in Emerald Court’s Apex and Ceyane towers within two months, along with an interest of 12% per annum from the date of their deposits. Besides, the developer shall shell out ₹2 crores to the Emerald Court Owner Resident Welfare Association (RWA), which had led the legal battle against erection of the twin towers on a green area and in breach of the minimum distance norms.
“The sanction for the construction of Tower-16 and Tower-17 were given by NOIDA (New Okhla Industrial Development Authority) in contravention of the minimum distance requirement provided by the building regulations... the record of this case is replete with instances which highlight the collusion between the officers of NOIDA with the appellant and its management. The case has revealed a nefarious complicity of the planning authority in the violation by the developer of the provisions of law,” the apex court held.
The Noida authority on Wednesday said a two-member committee has begun investigation to identify the guilty officials. “The committee will probe into all aspects of this case and is likely to submit a report within a week,” said Ritu Maheshwari CEO of the Noida authority.
