Supreme Court raps Noida authority in Supertech Emerald case, says ‘you are reeking of corruption’
Noida on Wednesday drew flak from the Supreme Court for failing to provide a sanctioned plan to the Supertech's Emerald Court project home buyers saying, "you (the authority) are reeking with corruption right from your eyes and nose".
FollowNew Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday slammed the Noida Authority as a “corrupt body” for supporting and toeing the line of builder Supertech with regard to two housing towers that are said to be illegal constructions.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah, which reserved verdict on the appeal of Supertech against the Allahabad High Court order directing demolition of twin 40-storey towers, said that when home buyers asked for the plan, the authority wrote to the developer on whether to share it and refused to give the plan to them at its behest.
"This is a shocking exercise of power. You (NOIDA) are not only in league but in cahoots with the Supertech. When home buyers asked for a sanctioned plan, you wrote to Supertech whether you should give the document or not and on denial you refused to give them the plan."
"It was only after the High Court expressly directed you to give that you had given them. You are reeking with corruption from eyes, nose and on the face of it," the bench said.
The court’s comments came as it reserved its order on whether the additional towers built by the company in one of its housing societies are illegal and need to be demolished.
The Allahabad high court had in 2017 declared the towers illegal and ordered demolition but the apex court had stayed the order while directing the company to refund buyers.
The top court, during the day-long hearing, also asked the Noida that being a regulatory urban planning authority it should take a neutral stand.
"Being an authority, you should take a neutral stand instead of defending the acts of Supertech. You cannot take a private stand for any promoter," the bench told advocate Ravindra Kumar, appearing for Noida.
Over 950 flats were to be built in the twin towers, with construction completed till 32 floors, when the demolition order was passed on the plea of the residents’ welfare association of Emerald Court housing society. As many as 633 people had booked the flats, of whom 248 have taken refunds and 133 shifted to Supertech’s other housing projects. But 252 buyers still remain invested in the hope of a favourable order from the court.
Supertech had told the top court that its Emerald Court owner Resident Welfare Association has been terrorising the builder by making unwarranted claims.
The top court was hearing appeals of Supertech Ltd and other petitions filed by home buyers for or against the Allahabad High Court's 2014 order directing demolition of the twin towers for being in violation of norms.
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