Ujjain: Ujjain Municipal Corporation (UMC)’s additional commissioner and the then town and country planner Manoj Pathak, the then building officers Rambabu Sharma and Arun Jain and building inspector Meenakshi Sharma have been charged with going beyond the authority of the their post to allow a Indore-based firm RM Vino Estate and Developer’s director Susheel Jain to build a commercial building. The Lok Ayukta police has now registered a case against the said persosn these under sections 7, 13 (1) (A) (B) of the Prevention of Corruption Act-1988.
The case pertains to of building number 40 at University Road. After the demise of the owner Bhairon Singh, son of Hira Singh, and his wife Navalkuvanur Bai, their heirs got the entitlement over building. The heirs included son Huramat Singh, Prayag Singh, Gajraj Singh, Randhir Singh, daughters Keskunvarbai, Shaitankunwar and Sajankunwar. Among the heirs, Huramat Singh redeemed the rights of Gajraj Singh, Randhir Singh, Keskuvanbai, Shaitankunwar and Sajananwar- over the property- in his favour. But despite not redeeming the right of Prayag Singh his brother Huramat sold the building deal to the Indore firm RM Vino Estate and Developers.
The director of this company is Sushil Jain. He sought permission of UMC to build a commercial complex on the spot. On his application, the UMC had issued a building permit on May 14, 2019. But to the predicament of the accused, Prayag Singh’s daughter Divya Singh lodged a complaint to the Lok Ayukta police- alleging corruption in sale of the property and, allowing commercial construction on the site. She alleged that the authorities concerned went beyond the jurisdiction of their office to extend benefit to the builder by issuing mutation and building permits. During the probe Lok Ayukta inspector Basant Shrivastava found that complaint holds substance.
WHAT A MESS!
1- The municipal authorities made the mutation without seeing the original documents
2- Builders were to first seek clearance from TNCP for commercial construction on the building. But, without the permission of TNCP, he submitted the plan of project to the UMC. The same was ‘duly’ approved by all.
3- The complainant, Divya Singh, had also accused the municipal commissioner Kshitij Singhal but the investigation found that the commissioner had issued notices to the builders when the case came into his cognisance. The notice also cancelled the permission for the building.
