Aggrieved homebuyers demand CBI probe to ascertain role of Noida officials

Homebuyers demanded CBI probe after the Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the role of officials of the Noida and Greater Noida authorities while hearing homebuyers’ petition.

Homebuyers on Friday demanded probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ascertain role of Noida and Greater Noida officials who allegedly sheltered Amrapali Group directors.

Aggrieved homebuyers demand CBI probe to ascertain role of Noida officials (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain / Hindustan Times) (Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

Homebuyers demanded CBI probe after the Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the role of officials of the Noida and Greater Noida authorities while hearing homebuyers’ petition.

The authorities had allotted group housing land to Amrapali Group from 2008 onwards. Amrapali Group failed to finish housing projects in Noida – Sapphire in Sector 45, Silicon City and Princely Estate in Sector 76, Zodiac and Platinum in Sector 119. It is also yet to deliver housing projects including Dream Valley, Golf Homes and Centurion Park, among others in Greater Noida.

Homebuyers said they will make a list of officials allegedly involved in and write to the government about a CBI probe.

“Supreme Court (in its February 28 order) said the Noida and Greater Noida authorities’ officials did not adhere to the lease deed conditions while dealing with Amrapali Group. If the top officials had followed rules and not sheltered the Amrapali Group directors, homebuyers could have been saved from being cheated. Therefore, there must be a CBI probe to fix responsibility and strong action should be taken against all those involved,” Pallavi Singh, a homebuyer in Amrapali Sapphire, alleged.

Homebuyers said they had filed several complaints with the two authorities against the group directors as the developer had failed to start construction, but no action was taken against them.

“Why did the two authorities keep allotting land to a builder that had no money of its own? And why didn’t the authorities alert the buyers about the housing project’s status when Amrapali failed to pay dues to the tune of over ₹2,000 crore,” said Hem Prakash, an Amrapali buyer.

The Noida and Greater Noida authorities allotted housing land to Amrapali after the builder paid 10% of the total cost of land. Amrapali group was required to pay remaining dues in instalments. However, since 2011-12, the builder started defaulting on land dues.

“In West Bengal, a ₹1,200 crore chit-fund scam unfolded and the Centre is conducting a CBI probe. There is a scam of more than ₹10,000 crore here affecting 40,000 investors. Why shouldn’t there be a CBI probe,” said Varun Gupta, another Amrapali buyer