Noida authority’s assistant engineer arrested in Rs 954-crore scam

The central bureau of investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested Noida authority assistant engineer JP Singh, one of the accused in a Rs 954-crore scam.

The central bureau of investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested Noida authority assistant engineer JP Singh, one of the accused in a Rs 954-crore scam. The investigation agency held Singh from Jasola in Delhi.

The CBI filed a chargesheet against 11 accused, including suspended chief engineer Yadav Singh (above). (HT File)

Singh was arrested as he did not appear before the court despite a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him, said officials of the agency.

Following an Allahabad high court order, the CBI on August 4, 2015 started investigating the scam that pertains to laying of electricity cables along Noida’s Udyog Marg and Master Plan-I Road.

The agency on March 15, 2016 filed a chargesheet against 11 accused, including suspended Noida chief engineer Yadav Singh, project engineer Ramendra Singh and Pradeep Garg, head of a Ghaziabad-based private agency.

“Yadav Singh and Ramendra Singh are in judicial custody since February. Pradeep Garg surrendered before the CBI court and was sent in judicial custody. The CBI had issued summons to the remaining eight accused, including JP Singh. Later, the CBI issued an NBW against JP Singh,” said RK Gaur, press information officer, CBI.

JP Singh will be produced before the CBI court in Ghaziabad on August 11, said officials of the CBI.

The Noida authority is also planning to take legal action against JP Singh, who had been absconding since CBI started investigating the case.

“As per rules, the authority will suspend JP Singh 24 hours after his arrest. We will suspend him and take other legal action against him on Wednesday,” said Arun Vir Singh, additional chief executive officer, Noida authority.

Yadav Singh was arrested by the CBI in February this year following the arrest of Ramendra Singh in December 2015. Both are in currently lodged in Dasna jail in Ghaziabad. The former is charged with criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the IPC. He is also accused of abusing his official position under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

CBI chargesheet names Yadav Singh’s wife Kusumlata, project engineer Ramendra Singh, junior engineers Rajeev Kumar, RD Sharma and Ompal Singh. It also names Tirupati Constructions and its managing partner VK Goel, JSP Construction and its partner Pankaj Jain and NKG Infrastructure and its managing director Pradeep Garg.