The CBI on Tuesday claimed that it has not found any criminality in the land use change granted to real estate major DlF to construct a high-rise luxury apartment complex in the diplomatic enclave area here close to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The agency had registered a Preliminary Enquiry based on source information in July last year to look into the allegation of corruption into the conversion of the land use from dairy farming to residential purpose. The PE was registered against unknown officials of the Urban Development Ministry.
“After proper enquiry, the Preliminary Enquiry was closed last month as no criminality was found in the matter,” a CBI official said. The CBI enquiry, officials claimed, could not find any quid pro quo in the grant of permission for conversion of land usage.
Agency sources said the change in land use was a policy decision on the part of the Government and allegations that officials favoured a private builder could not be substantiated during the enquiry.
The Urban Development Ministry on July 30, 2012 allowed change in land usage to DlF to construct a four-storey residential apartment complex on the land in the vicinity of Rashtrapati Bhavan despite security concerns from various agencies.
A single bench of the Delhi High Court had in 2010 allowed Edward Keventers Successors Pvt. ltd. (EKSPl) use of 9.26 hectare (22.9 acres) dairy farm for residential purposes after depositing conversion charges of `200 crore with the Government.
Interestingly, the Centre had opposed the land conversion citing security concerns stating that the area in question comes within the vicinity of lutyen’s Bungalow Zone (lBZ) and President’s Estate and involves security concerns.
The Union Government approached the Division Bench of the High Court submitting that the ground of security should have been weighed by the single judge Bench. The Division Bench, however, said the Master Plan permits the use for residential areas and there are many other residential premises in the area. The Bench left the issue of security to be dealt by the agencies.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee requesting him to call for papers and make an assessment whether the issue required a more comprehensive multi-disciplinary investigation for which a Special Investigation Team may be set up.