Monday, September 12 2005 16:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Sept 12, 2005) restrained 28 allotters including Samajwadi Party (SP) General Secretary Amar Singh and some other politicians and bureaucrats who have been allotted plot by the Mulayam Singh Government in prime locality in Gomti Nagar from transferring them.

Directing the allottees to maintain status quo on land allotted to them, a Bench comprising Justice Y K Sabharwal, Justice C K Thakker and Justice R V Raveendran issued notice to Uttar Pradesh Government, Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) and all the allottees asking them to file their reply within two weeks.

A PIL relating to the Lucknow Development Authority land lease scam has alleged that Amar Singh was allotted a plot under the Economically Weaker Section Scheme at the behest of the Chief Minister.

During the hearing senior advocate Ashok Desai, appearing for the State Government submitted that a Committee was looking into the allotment of land for the last 30 years.

This, however did not impress the Bench, which said it was concerned with the allotment of the plot made in 2005 by the present government and at the moment averments made in the petition calls for answer.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for LDA prayed the court not to pass any interim order at this stage. The petition filed by Allahabad-based advocate Vishwanath Chaturvedi, has sought cancellation of 28 plots allegedly allotted to them at prime locality Vipul Khand in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow by LDA alleging that they have been allotted illegally, arbitrary and in corrupt manner at the instructions of the Chief Minister and his close aid.

The petitioner claimed that the plots were allotted to the near and dear ones of politicians and bureaucrats at the price below the prevailing market rate allegedly under the instruction of Singh, Shiv Pal Singh Yadav, state Agriculture Minister, Anita Singh, Special Secretary to Chief Minister and the Chairman of LDA.

The PIL has sought constitution of a Committee consisting of a retired judge of the apex Court to go into the veracity of the allotment of plots or a probe by CBI to fix the responsibility of individuals responsible for allotment illegally.

Prominent persons who have been allotted land are R C S Rawat, father-in-law of Mulayam's son Akhilesh, Anita Singh, Special Secretary to Chief Minister.