Noida’s Emerald Court case: SIT submits report, names 26 officials

The SIT has recommended action against all 26 officials, as well as four Supertech directors and private architects.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to investigate irregularities in the approval of building and map plans for the Supertech group’s twin tower project, in violation of building regulations, has named at least 26 former and current officials of the Noida authority in its report that was submitted to the Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday.

The UP government had constituted an SIT on September 2, two days after the Supreme Court gave the demolition order. (HT Archive)

The SIT has recommended action against all 26 officials, as well as four Supertech directors and private architects.

Of the 26 officials identified by the investigating team, two are already dead, 20 have retired, three are still serving with the authority, and one officer has already been suspended.

Chairman of the Noida authority Sanjiv Mittal, who is heading the SIT, said, “Action should be taken against 20 retired officials as per the law and the three officials, who are in service, should be suspended. One official, Mukesh Goyal, who was a manager in the planning department, has already been suspended.”

The SIT has also recommended filing an FIR against four directors of Supertech Limited, two private architects and the 24 Noida officials. The team has also directed the Noida authority to free 7,000 square metres of green area in Supertech’s Emerald housing project, which was encroached upon and merged into the housing project illegally.

“We have also directed the Noida authority to act against officials, who were hand in glove with the Supertech group,” said Mittal.

On August 31, a Supreme Court bench led by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud directed the demolition of the twin towers part of Supertech’s Emerald Court project, over grave violations of building norms, which, the court said, was a result of “nefarious complicity” between Noida Authority and the real estate developer. Further, the bench asked Supertech to refund money to all the existing home-buyers 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.

Supertech has approached the Supreme Court to stop the court-ordered demolition of the two 40-storey towers, saying that it has an alternative plan that could save several crores of rupees from going waste and also prove to be “beneficial for the environment”.

The UP government had constituted an SIT on September 2, two days after the Supreme Court gave the demolition order.

“The action has been recommended according to the provisions of the UP Apartment Act, 2010, and other rules. Now, appropriate action will be initiated according to the Supreme Court order,” said Mittal.

Officials from the Supertech group refused to comment on the matter.