3 men, who illegally built & sold flats, booked under Gangsters Act

The administration Wednesday slapped the stringent Uttar Pradesh Gangsters Act on three men who allegedly built illegal multistorey apartment blocks and sold flats to gullible buyers in a Greater Noida village, where nine people were killed when two buildings collapsed last year.

Those booked are Dev Sharma and Ravindra Nagar, both Gautam Buddh Nagar residents, and Prashant Sharma of Ghaziabad, the administration said.

Based on a report by Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma, District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh pressed charges under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act against the three people, an official statement said.

Last July, nine people were killed in the twin-building collapse in Shahberi village. During a probe, it was found that the buildings were built without permission from local authorities and by flouting several mandatory construction norms and guidelines.

"The three had constructed multistorey buildings on agricultural land in Shahberi village without any approval from the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority and without getting buildings maps approved by it," it said.

"They have also sold hundreds of flats to gullible buyers by telling them that the land was residential and its map was cleared by the local authorities," it added.

"These land mafias have flouted several parameters of building construction, "the administration said.

"Since the incident, the Greater Noida authority carried out multiple demolition drives to remove illegal structures, because of which an atmosphere of safety concern got created among the people. This situation of terror and fear among the people has impacted public order and, therefore, these people (the trio) should not be allowed to roam free in public interest. Hence, the Gangsters Act is being invoked against them," the administration said.

Over 600 people, which includes murder accused, robbers, liquor, drug and land mafias, have been booked under the Act in the district since April 2017. The Act provides special provisions for the prevention of and, for coping with, gangsters and anti-social activities and for related matters.

"Similar action will be taken in future against the mafia and criminals under the Gangsters Act and the Goonda Act, besides considering their expulsion from the district," the administration added.