Noida & a trail of corruption

Corruption runs deep and wide in Noida and Greater Noida due to an unholy nexus between officials and builders. During the hearing of the Supertech case, the SC had called the Noida Authority a “corrupt body”. TOI traces how Noida remained a hotbed of corruption despite regime changes over the years
Noida land scam (1993-1995)
Former UP chief secretary Neera Yadav was convicted and handed two jail terms in the Noida land scam (1993- 1995) on November 20, 2012, and her sentencing was upheld by the Supreme Court. As the Noida Authority CEO, she was accused of fraudulently allotting residential land to individuals at throwaway prices in gross violation of norms. Plots were allotted to several politicians and IAS officers. Yadav had also cornered four plots for herself, her two daughters and husband. One of these, measuring 500 sqm, was a palatial bungalow
Chitehra land scam (1997)
The land scam worth crores surfaced after complaints were lodged with Gautam Budh Nagar DM Suhas LY. A probe conducted by revenue inspector Pankaj Nirwal revealed that a proposal for allotment of agricultural land to 282 people was passed in 1997 by the then SDM and ADM. The mastermind of the scam, Yashpal Tomar, got village land allotted for himself. Two FIRs were lodged against SDM, ADM along with IAS and IPS officers of Uttarakhand cadre
Leaseback scam (2010)
The state government had constituted an SIT headed by YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh in January 2020 to investigate around 2,000 cases of leaseback by the Greater Noida Authority 12 years ago. Leaseback refers to giving back ‘abadi’ land to farmers. The scam came to light in 2017 after the then Meerut divisional commissioner, Prabhat Kumar, received a complaint and ordered a probe into 10 cases in Bisrakh. During the probe, the allegations were found to be true. Many people, in collusion with government officials, took advantage of the scheme by forging papers and declaring themselves as residents of the area. A report on 533 cases was sent to the state government
Yadav Singh corruption case (2011)
In 2012, the Akhilesh Yadav government ordered an inquiry against the then Noida chief engineer Yadav Singh for signing agreements for maintenance work worth Rs 954.4 crore in just eight days. Yadav was suspended in June 2012. He was reinstated later, and in 2014, appointed general manager (projects) of GNIDA and YEIDA. He was again placed under suspension after the Income Tax department raided his wife’s premises and recovered jewellery worth around Rs 130 crore. In 2015, hearing a PIL, the Allahabad HC ordered a CBI probe against him. Three cases were filed against Yadav for amassing disproportionate assets and corruption in awarding contracts. ED also filed PMLA case against Yadav
Twin Towers violations (2012)
When the Emerald Court housing society was sanctioned, the plan showed 14 towers and nine floors. Later, it was revised and Supertech was allowed to build more floors in each tower. The area where the towers were built was to be made into a garden as per the original plan. The petitioners argued in HC that the Supertech group violated norms to sell more flats and enhance their profit margins. The SC during the hearing observed that building norms were violated by the developer in collusion with Noida officials
Yamuna E-way land scam (2012-13)
Former YEIDA CEO PC Gupta and his relatives among others fraudulently bought 57 acres of land around the Yamuna Expressway before their acquisition by the authority for development work at double the price. YEIDA paid Rs 85 crore for the land and incurred further losses in acquisition of land for entry and exit routes to the expressway where the purchased land was never used for the purpose. In 2018, the case was handed over to CBI. Gupta was arrested. The probe is still under way
Elevated road scam (2014)
The Noida Authority set up a probe committee in July 2022 to look into finanacial irregularities in construction of the city’s first elevated road between Vishwa Bharti School and Sector 61. The committee will also scan the role of the then officials of the authority’s engineering and finance department and probe how extra payments were made to the contractor without approval. Commissioned in 2014, the 4.8km road was inaugurated in June 2017. The construction company was awarded the project for Rs 415.5 crore, but by the time it was complete, the authority had spent Rs 468.9 crore. The CAG had conducted a financial audit and found that the private firm had been paid Rs 17.2 crore even before the circle office submitted the final bill report to the technical audit cell (TAC)