India News | NH-74 Scam: ED Seizes Rs 24.70 Lakh in Raids Across Uttarakhand, UP

New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized cash amounting to Rs 24.70 lakh as well as other incriminating documents during searches conducted a day ago across Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in connection with in NH-74 scam case, the agency said on Friday.

The agency on Thursday had conducted raids at seven locations in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in the case linked to Dinesh Pratap Singh, Senior PCS officer currently working as Executive Director, Doiwala Sugar Mill in Uttarakhand.

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https://x.com/dir_ed/status/1938568460134740280

As per the federal agency, Dinesh alias DP Singh, the then Suspended Special Land Acquisition Officer (SLAO), Uttarakhand, "while working in the capacity of Competent Authority of Land Acquisition (CALA), entered into conspiracy with revenue officials, land consolidation officials, farmers, land owners, middlemen and others for misappropriation of the government funds by manipulating the use of land by way of passing backdated orders under section 143 of Uttar Pradesh Zamindari Abolition and Land Reforms Act, 1950."

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"This resulted in payment of higher compensation to land owners at non-agriculture rates, as opposed to the legal and expected compensation," said the ED in a statement.

To achieve his ulterior motives, the ED said, Dinesh resorted to "fabrication and forgery by making backdated entries in revenue records and documents which were projected as genuine at the time of distributing compensation to land owners against land acquired for widening of NH-74 and NH-125. This resulted in a loss of Rs 162.5 crore (approximately) to the government treasury."

ED in this case had already attached movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs 43 crore (approximately) from various accused persons.

While the investigation is in progress against these officials and land owners, seven Prosecution Complaints have already been filed before the Special Court (PMLA), Dehradun. (ANI)

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