Supreme Court orders probe into NOIDA officials-landowners collusion; new projects should get court nod

The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered preliminary inquiry into the alleged collusion between NOIDA officials and landowners over inflated land acquisition payouts

A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi ordered the formation of a new three-member SIT comprising Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to probe irregularities in the land acquisition payouts.

Pertinently, the Court also ordered that no new NOIDA projects should be executed without environment impact assessment (EIA) clearance and permission from the green bench of the Supreme Court which hears cases concerning environment.

The Bench was hearing a case linked to alleged inflated compensation to ineligible landowners.

The previous SIT’s findings pointed to excessive payments in twenty cases and named NOIDA authority officials suspected of involvement.

The new team has been tasked with examining financial trails, including bank accounts of officials, their families, and landowners, as well as assets acquired during the period in question, to determine possible collusion.

Uttar Pradesh Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad assured the Court of compliance with orders.

[Read Live Coverage]