Bottom Line: Though Track2Realty doesn’t endorse or deny the allegations against Noida Authority CEO Amit Mohan Prasad by Grihpravesh Buildteck CMD asking for a free apartment, there are many unanswered questions in what appears to be a case of conflict of interest on part of Noida Authority CEO.
The allegations by a real estate developer Abhay Kumar, CMD, Grihpravesh Buildteck, against Noida Authority CEO, Amit Mohan Prasad is not something that often happens in the real estate business in this part of the world. On the contrary, there is a collective conspiracy of silence on the issue of favours (both cash & kind) being exchanged between the two sides. And hence, on a rainy day the news of the Noida Authority CEO asking for undue personal favour spread like a wild fire.
With the kind of clout that the position of Noida Authority CEO enjoys, the media nevertheless went slow and treaded cautiously in what should ideally have been the headlines for the week. It was nevertheless the talk of the town and even the industry body CREDAI immediately huddled to whisper the whole day.
The story goes like this: builder accuses Noida Authority CEO of demanding bribery and harassing for free flat. Abhay Kumar took the moral high ground to sound like a war cry for clean system when he levied strong charges against Noida Authority incumbent CEO of continuous harassment after former declined to provide him with a free flat in his project at Sector 77, Noida.
Amit Mohan Prasad already has a purchased apartment in the project along with three of his other relatives but he later started demanding another one for free.
Abhay Kumar says, “Our project had acquired completion certificate in December, 2015 itself and Amit Mohan Prasad had also purchased a unit in the same. However using his rank and power as a senior IAS officer he kept insisting for a free flat in the same project. Things became worse after he took over as Noida Authority CEO. Registry of flats was stopped abruptly with no proper reason provided. However same was resumed after I sought intervention of a Cabinet Minister in UP Government.”
The builder alleges that a high power team was sent to demolish the fencing inside the project to build more pressure. Interestingly both Grih Pravesh CMD Abhay and CEO Amit Mohan come from same school in Jharkhand and are also known to each other through Alumni Association.
As expected, Noida CEO Amit Mohan Prasad has rejected these allegations and has called them false and fabricated. His version is, “The demolition of grills encroaching upon the common green area of residents was taken up by the Authority after giving notice and ample opportunity to the builder to remove the illegal encroachment on his own. The action was initiated on the complaint of residents of that group project”.
He also said that suitable action of defamation will be taken against the builder. The builder maintains that it has been pure vendetta against him.
Track2Realty is in possession of the correspondence between builder and the Authority CEO when he was in his previous position as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in 2011 and later as Principal Secretary with NFL (Numaligarh Refinery Limited) in 2014. In what clearly appears to be a case of clash of interest Amit Mohan Prasad as the homebuyer always had correspondence with the builder on the letterhead of Government of India official position.
The builder claims, through his documents, he has obliged the officer with interest waiver many times due to his official position. According to the builder, ever since he became Noida Authority CEO the harassment started for a free apartment. He has lodged a complaint against him with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The Noida Authority, on its part, claims the demolition at the project was as per government orders to conduct a drive against developers who are harassing homebuyers. However, Track2Realty also has in its possession the sting operation of conversation between the builder and the man sent for demolition, Praveen Shrivastava, Chief Architect & Town Planner (CAP) of Noida Authority.
In the audio conversation, the CAP is categorically saying that he is satisfied with the project but the mandate by the CEO is to target the builder. Shrivastava insists unless the builder goes and pacifies the CEO, he will be victimized for personal grudges.
Immediately after this sting audio was released in the public domain, a defiant Amit Mohan Prasad suspended Praveen Shrivastava, due to retire on 31st July. Praveen Shrivastava was suspended for allegedly not ‘respecting seniors, showing a lack of faith in the government and negligence in discharging official duties.’
It is not just about the senior expecting the junior to succumb. Even the media was subject to harassment, humiliation and high handedness. This journalist had to face the ire of relative of Amit Mohan Prasad. His brother-in-law, Purusheshwar Sahay, an employee of NHPC who also has a flat in the same apartment of Grih Pravesh, went on an abusing & accusing spree on social media. The journalist has been subject to filthy abuses and calling names for reporting on the subject. Even the threat of government power through Information & Broadcasting Ministry was attempted at.
The direct attack on media continued till he was warned that all the snapshots of his abusive discussions over Facebook would be sent to the CMD of NHPC. He immediately deleted all the discussion thread fearing disciplinary action in office. Track2Realty has screen shots of the same.
This whole episode has left many questions unanswered on part of Amit Mohan Prasad, Noida Authority CEO:
Question1: Why did Amit Mohan Prasad always use the Government of India official letterhead when sending letters to a builder for buying a house? Isn’t it clash of interest?
Question2: Why is he silent on waiver of interest penalty by the builder?
Question3: If there has been complaint by the homebuyers against the builder, why didn’t he call for a builder-buyer meet like with many other defaulter builders?
Question4: What has been the urgency to stop the registry of a project that received the CC (Completion Certificate) some 18 month back?
Question5: Why has he been lenient over other bigger defaulter builders in Noida?
Question6: If the builder had encroached upon the open spaces, what action did he take against the Authority officials who had given the CC?
Question7: What was the provocation and urgency to suspend Praveen Shrivastava who was due to retire on 31st July?
Question8: Is Amit Mohan Prasad aware that his brother-in-law Purusheshwar Sahay, an employee of NHPC who also has the apartment in the same society, is abusing the journalists with all possible foul language for reporting on the issue?
The larger question that everyone is interest to be answered is: whether the BJP Government that claims “Zero Tolerance” on corruption will take any action against Amit Mohan Prasad till he comes out clean???
By: Ravi Sinha
