Developer booked for construction on Hindon floodplains

Police have booked a developer for illegal construction on the Hindon floodplains in Greater Noida west on Monday following a complaint from the irrigation department.

Police have booked a developer for illegal construction on the Hindon floodplains in Greater Noida west on Monday following a complaint from the irrigation department.

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The suspect Pappu Tripathi is a resident of Khoda Colony in Ghaziabad.

The complainant, seechpal/patwari from irrigation department Subhash Chandra, said that the suspect was allegedly involved in illegal plotting of land in Hindon floodplains where any kind of construction is prohibited.

Chandra said that the land is notified by Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA). “The developer has been trying to buy land from the local farmer and sell them to vulnerable people at high rates after plotting. A team had visited the spot after getting information of illegal construction. He misbehaved with officials who had tried to stop illegal construction,” he said. Following this Chandra filed a complaint in Bisrakh police station.

Munish Chauhan, station house officer at Bisrakh police station, said followed the complaint a case has been registered against Tripathi under Sections 430 (mischief by injury to works of irrigation or by wrongfully diverting water), Section 431 (mischief by injury to public road, bridge, river or channel) and Section 506 (criminal Intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. “We have registered a case and investigating the matter,” he said.

Developer Tripathi said that he had bought the 150 square metre plot from a local farmer before the lockdown. “I had no idea that this was a floodplain area. I was fencing the property when the irrigation department officials reached and stopped the work,” he said. Tripathi alleged that the irrigation department officials asked for a bribe to allow the work. “When I refused, they filed a complaint.” He said he was yet to make an official registry of the property.

Chandra denied the bribery allegation. “We have filed complaints against different colonisers for illegal constructions. This developer is making baseless allegations to escape from his wrongdoings,” he said.