CBI files chargesheet against Noida ex-officials for corruption

The CBI on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against then Noida authority chief engineer Yadav Singh and 13 others, including his wife and former officials, on charges of corruption that caused a loss of Rs.19 crore to the government exchequer.

The Central Bureau of Investigation chargesheet filed in the court of Special Judge for CBI cases named Yadav Singh, then project engineer Ramendra, assistant project engineers Devi Ram Arya and Jai Pal Singh, junior engineers Rajeev Kumar, R.D. Sharma and Ompal Singh, Yadav Singh's wife Kusum Lata, Tirupati Constructions managing partner V.K. Goel, JSP Constructions partner Pankaj Jain, NKG Infrastructures managing director Pradeep Garg and the three companies under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the CBI, the investigation revealed that the allotment of work was allegedly pre-decided, tender formalities were wilfully violated, estimate was highly inflated to cause undue gain to the contractor -- all of which caused a loss of Rs.19 crore to the government exchequer.

The CBI had registered a case on July 30, 2015 over alleged corrupt practices in the laying of underground cables worth Rs.9,202 lakh and other allegations in pursuance of the orders of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.

Uttar Pradesh Police had earlier registered an FIR in Noida in June 2012 that said the then chief engineer of Noida/Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway authorities had entered into a criminal conspiracy with private people/firms and awarded various contracts without following the laid down procedures.

The CBI had earlier conducted searches in August 2015 at 14 places -- one each at Agra and Ferozabad and 12 in Noida and Greater Noida -- which led to recovery of documents of 38 immovable properties/houses in Noida and Agra and other incriminating documents.

The CBI arrested Yadav Singh on February 3, 2016.

Further investigation on the allotment of 1,280 projects amounting to Rs.959 crore is on.