Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad Metro ‘scam’: Order on Sanjay Gupta’s bail on May 26

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The investigating agency, CID (crime), has alleged that Gupta, as the executive chairman of MEGA, paid Rs 147 crore for filling land (20 lakh cubic metre) at Bhat Koteshwar-Motera area for constructing a casting yard and a depot. But only 9.42 cubic metre filling was done while the cost of 11 lakh cubic metre, worth Rs 113 crore, was allegedly pocketed by Gupta.

“The land allotment of Koteshwar Bhat area was originally done to a private company for ash pond and with the passage of time the government had directed the successor entity to shift the plant out of the city. When MEGA started demanding a part of the ash pond and nearby land for its depot work and private entity woke up and asked for existing land already given on lease by the government and even for more land, there was immense pressure on MEGA and the petitioner to shift depot location,” the petition reads. The application adds that MEGA changed the depot layout in order to avoid the necessity of taking the ash pond land but the private firm didn’t want construction of depot around the ash pond and ultimately “to protect the interest of private companies and many sand mafias, new management changed depot location.”

In the application, Gupta has claimed that even if there is some merit in the case why no persons involved in the process of certification and audit have been arrested. Elaborating on it, Gupta’s lawyer I H Syed told the court, “In accordance with the fixation of authority, all the decisions required to be ratified by the board of directors. Has the CID gone to any board of directors? They haven’t gone as yet. “

Syed read out minutes of the meeting held several times when Gupta was the executive chairman of MEGA. In such meetings, the then chief minister, revenue minister, at least five to six IAS officers, among others, used to be present. Syed said that nowhere in such meetings a contention was raised about the disputed site. Besides, Gupta has also sought bail on the grounds that he is in financial crisis and being in prison would suffer his business and the delay of one-and-a-half year in lodging the complaint against him.