Allahabad, Jun 25 (PTI) A PIL was filed today in the Allahabad High Court alleging that officials accused of facilitating sale of prime land in Noida at throwaway prices have been appointed by the SP government in Uttar Pradesh to the same key posts they held during the party's previous rule. The PIL, filed by a Noida-based organisation Madhav Samaj Nirman Samiti, came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justice Arun Tandon and Justice R S Maurya which adjourned the matter till June 29. It was argued by the petitioner's counsel that vast tracts of land in Noida had been sold to hoteliers at a throwaway price during 2005-07 when SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was the Chief Minister. This had caused an estimated loss of over Rs 4700 crore to the state exchequer, the counsel submitted. After the SP was voted out of power, an inquiry was ordered into the allotments and the same were cancelled by the BSP government. The officials who had held key posts were placed under suspension and an FIR was lodged against them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, the counsel argued. However, the officials were reinstated by the Mayawati government just ahead of the state assembly election this year and the Akhilesh Yadav government which assumed office appointed the officials to the same posts in Noida which they were holding while the allotments were made. The PIL sought an inquiry into the appointment of the officials to the same posts which they had occupied at the time of what the petition said their alleged wrongdoings. PTI NAC RKC
