CBI registers fraud case against Godrej Estate, Berkeley Realtech

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against Godrej Estate Developers and Berkeley Realtech Ltd besides unidentified officials of the UT Administration on the charges of cheating and corruption. The case pertains to an alleged violation of conditions of environmental clearance by the two commercial complexes located in the Industrial Area, Phase I.

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A preliminary enquiry was registered in the CBI Anti-Corruption Branch, Chandigarh, on May 17, 2023, against unidentified officials of the Chandigarh Administration and private builders on a complaint of Bhim Sain Garg, the then Under Secretary, Punjab Raj Bhavan, wherein it was alleged that certain manipulations were done in the minutes of a meeting of the State Board for Wildlife, which was held on June 27, 2022, under the chairmanship of the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator.

The CBI investigated the matter and on the enquiry report of ASP Karan Singh Rana, a case under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 13(1) (d) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered.

Unidentified UT officials booked on corruption charge

• The CBI inquiry revealed that proponents of Berkeley Square and Godrej Eternia, in collusion with unidentified officials of the UT Estate Office, obtained occupation certificates for their projects without taking requisite wildlife clearance
• On the enquiry report of ASP Karan Singh Rana, a case under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against Godrej Estate Developers and Berkeley Realtech Ltd besides unidentified UT officials

The CBI inquiry had revealed that proponents of Berkeley Square and Godrej Eternia, in collusion with unidentified officials of the UT Estate Office, had obtained occupation certificate without obtaining the requisite wildlife clearance.

In July last year, the UT Estate Office had cancelled the occupation certificates of the two projects, Godrej Eternia and Berkeley Square, over violation of conditions of environmental clearance and building plans. They had reportedly violated conditions of environmental clearance regarding obtaining permission from the Standing Committee of National Board for Wildlife. Under environmental clearance, the major condition regarding wildlife clearance was still unfulfilled.

It is alleged that the building plan and revised building plan and occupation certificate were obtained by misrepresenting and concealing facts and on the strength of environmental clearance whose validity was subject to the decision of the Supreme Court, which mandated that wildlife clearance was to be obtained from the standing committee. However, the said wildlife clearance was never obtained by the respondents. The projects reportedly fall within the 10 km radius of the Sukhna Eco-Sensitive Zone.

“We are surprised by this development, which has just come to our attention. The agency’s action appears to be a follow-up to the notices we received last year regarding the Godrej Eternia project. These notices cited a lack of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) clearance as a violation of environmental clearance, given that the project falls within 10 km of Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary,” said Godrej Eternia spokesperson.

“We immediately challenged these notices, along with all subsequent actions, before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. We demonstrated that the Supreme Court did not impose a blanket Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of 10 km. Since the matter is still sub-judice, we have placed on record all facts that clearly substantiate our claim of no violation.”