Ranchi development authority's top officials arrested in building scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently arrested six top officials of Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) and three city builders in connection with RRDA’s building scam.

The arrested six RRDA officials are: Ajay Shekhar, S K Mandilwar, former secretaries, Ram Kumar Singh and Shankar Prasad, former town planners, Munnauar Alam, vigilance officer and Umesh Kumar Singh assistant. The CBI also arrested Binay Prakash, owner of recently built Hotel Lilac and two builders, Vijay Kumar Singh and Vibhuti Bhasan Prasad.

The court of special CBI judge N N Singh forwarded the accused to Birsa Munda Central Jail for 14 days judicial custody.

The RRDA’s building scam was revealed before the Jharkhand High Court in March this year when the court had ordered the CBI investigation observing that numerous multi-storied buildings had come up in the state capital in violation of RRDA’s building by-laws.

After the high court’s order, the CBI had registered an FIR and seized 2,600 files and maps of several multi-storied complexes and apartments from the RRDA. Out of this, 1,800 files are under scrutiny.