The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials submitted an application in the High Court to quash the case against officials of the authority in the alleged national highway 74 scam estimated to be worth more than Rs 300 crore. Appearing for the Government of India before the single bench of justice UC Dhyani, the attorney general Mukul Rohatgi argued that the NHAI officials had no role to play in the case considering which the FIR against them should be withdrawn. Hearing his arguments, the court has allowed the applicants to file a fresh application before another bench of the high court.
After a case was booked against NHAI officials in the alleged NH 74 scam in Udham Singh Nagar district, the authority’s projet director and regional officer submitted an application in the high court seeking quashing of the case.
It should be mentioned here to facilitate land acquisition for national highway expansion work in Udham Singh Nagar, agricultural land was alleged shown as non-agricultural land to orchestrate a scam in distribution of compensation. The State Government got the Kumaon commissioner D Senthil Pandiyan to probe into the alleged scam. After this about half a dozen Provincial Civil Services officers were suspended. On March 10 this year, the additional district magistrate Pratap Shah had registered a case against six persons including NHAI officials. The State Government had also recommended a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
However, in the recent past the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari had written to Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat stating that action of the State in the case might have an adverse impact of the moral of officers and impede the execution of projects.
During hearing on the case before the single bench of justice UC Dhyani on Monday, the Attorney General appearing for the Union Government stated that the NHAI officials had no role to play in the case and that the FIR against them should be withdrawn. He said that the NHAI officials had nothing to do with the alleged irregularities in the land acquisition. The advocate representing the State Government stated that quashing the case was under the purview of another bench of the high court. Hearing the arguments, the court disposed of the application while permitting the applicants to file a fresh petition before another bench of the High Court.