One of the two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers suspended for alleged role in the national highway 74 compensation scam, Pankaj Kumar Pandey filed an application in the High Court of Uttarakhand seeking anticipatory bail. His plea is expected to be taken up by the High Court single bench on Thursday.
It is pertinent to mention here that the special investigation team (SIT) probing the NH-74 scam had sought permission from the State to initiate prosecution proceedings against the officer. Initiation of prosecution proceedings could have led to his arrest, considering which the officer is believed to have approached the HC.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pandey and another IAS officer, Chandresh Kumar Yadav were suspended by the State Government earlier this month for their alleged role in the NH-74 scam during their respective terms as the District Magistrates of Udham Singh Nagar.
While serving as the District Magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar, during their respective terms they were also the arbitrators for the national highway 74 widening work. In the cases of arbitration pertaining to acquisition of land for the NH-74 work, Pandey is accused of violating the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, National Highways Act, 1956 along with the financial procedures, Government orders and guidelines of the Central and State Governments.
Government land was wrongly shown to be privately owned land and legal action was not taken against encroachers who were instead shown as beneficiaries and orders were passed for paying crores of rupees in compensation to such persons.
Similarly, Yadav is also accused of violating provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and National Highways Act 1969 in arbitration cases pertaining to land acquisition for NH-74 work.
Violating the Acts, Government orders and guidelines, agricultural land was shown as non-agricultural land and compensation was fixed against the rules to pass orders for paying crores of rupees in compensation.
It is pertinent to mention here that 22 persons including suspended Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officers, employees, farmers and other accused persons have already been arrested by the police in this case.