YEIDA ex-CEO arrested from a temple in MP

GUPTA’S IS THE FIRST ARREST IN THE LARGESCALE LAND SCAM, INVOLVING 57 HECTARES OF LAND

GREATERNOIDA: The Uttar Pradesh police on Friday arrested PC Gupta, former chief executive officer (CEO) of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) from a temple in Datiya in Madhya Pradesh. Gupta is among 28 other accused in a Rs-126 crore land scam.

Gupta’s is the first arrest in the large-scale land scam, involving 57 hectares of land, which was acquired without any need allegedly for the government purposes with an intention to make easy money.

The police had on June 3 formed three teams to raid residences of accused persons, said officials.

“The police teams were tracking Gupta since the FIR was filed. He was seen in Jaipur and Uadipur in Rajasthan a few days back and then he changed his location to evade arrest. He was arrested in a temple in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh while offering prayers,” said Dr Prabhat Kumar, chairman of YEIDA.

Kumar had in 2017 formed a team to probe corruption allegations against Gupta, eight other officials and 19 others, including officials’ relatives and property agents.

On June 3, the FIR was registered at Kasna police station here against Gupta and 27 others for allegedly purchasing 57 hectares of land across five villages along the Yamuna Expressway despite no government requirement, and causing a loss of ₹126 crore to the state exchequer.

The alleged scam came to light after a committee — set up by Kumar — submitted that Gupta, his nephew, friends, relatives and nine YEIDA officials were allegedly involved in the corruption racket.

The probe established that the officials and brokers had purchased the land at cheap rates from farmers and sold it to the government at a profit of ₹40 crore.

Now the YEIDA has started another probe against Gupta into a fresh land scam that allegedly took place in Hathras district near Agra along the 165 km Yamuna Expressway. Gupta is accused of acquiring agricultural land without any need for the government purposes. His motive was to make profit.

“The police will soon arrest the other accused and do the justice in this case. Those involved in corruption will not be spared,” said Kumar.