Govt told to file documents on land allotment to DIAL

The Delhi High Court, hearing a petition alleging land allotment at a throwaway price to private operator Delhi International Airport (DIAL) for the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on October 31 asked the Union Government to submit documents related to the allotment of land.

A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw granted two weeks’ time to the Government to file documents after Additional Solicitor General AS Chandhiok said a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the issue had been submitted and the matter had been referred to a Parliamentary committee.

Chandhiok said that the matter is pending before the Parliamentary committee which is looking into the issues. The court posted the matter for November 21. The public interest litigation (PIL) alleged that the Government gave away 190 acres of prime land and assets to DIAL at a throwaway price.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate MN Krishnamani asked the court not to dispose of the plea saying Parliamentary committee cannot consider the criminal aspect of matter which is to be dealt with by CBI.

The PIL sought a court-monitored investigation into the decision of the authorities to allot land to DIAL, a private consortium, for the airport at a throwaway price.