Delhi-Meerut expressway: Over 450 plot sale deeds in Ghaziabad under scanner

The inquiry was ordered after complaints came in that certain officials had allegedly connived with private persons and purchased land in the name of their relatives to earn huge profit after the compensation amount was increased manifold during arbitration.

In an ongoing inquiry ordered by divisional commissioner, Meerut, into the sale of land for the Delhi-Meerut Expressway, the officials have come across over 450 instances in which registry deeds were taken up and land sold to different persons after the notification was issued for the land acquisition.

Officials inquiring into irregularities in the Delhi-Meerut Expressway land acquisition have found nearly 450 instances of sale deeds that were executed after the land acquisition notification. (Sakib Ali /HT Photo)

The instances are now being probed and a report will be sent to Prabhat Kumar, divisional commissioner, Meerut. The inquiry was ordered after complaints came in that certain officials had allegedly connived with private persons and purchased land in the name of their relatives to earn huge profit after the compensation amount was increased manifold during arbitration.

“The number of such instances may increase. The land acquisition notification was done in August 2012 for the project. As per law, the land stands vested with the acquiring authority after the issue of notification. More than 450 instances have been found of sale deeds being executed after the notification,” said an officer, requesting anonymity.

Taking cognizance of the complaints, Kumar had ordered an inquiry and directed the Ghaziabad district magistrate to submit a report within 15 days.

Nearly 266 hectares, belonging to 18 villages in Ghaziabad, were acquired under the Delhi-Meerut Expressway project.

Following the directions by the divisional commissioner, a committee of officials is now probing the cases and will submit the report.

“The inquiry is udner way and we expect to receive the report soon. Appropriate action will be taken up against guilty parties once the inquiry report is in,” said Kumar.

The complainants alleged that certain officials allegedly connived with private persons and purchased land in the name of their relatives to earn huge profits.

“We have received several complaints that certain government officials, after the land acquisition was notified, purchased land in the name of relatives and earned profits when the amount of compensation was increased during the arbitration stage. I have directed the Ghaziabad district magistrate to inquire and submit report within 15 days,” Kumar had told Hindustan Times earlier.

In December, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone for the 74km expressway project and upgrading of the 22km Dasna-Hapur section of National Highway-24.

Sources said the sale and purchase of land belonging to several villages— Nahal, Dasna, Kushaliya and villages in Murad Nagar — are under the scanner.

It is also alleged that certain officials misused their position and divulged information about government policies to private parties.