Left MPs seek CBI probe into DIAL collection of development fee

NEW DELHI: Alleging undue benefits accruing to Delhi's private airport developer, five Left MPs have sought a CBI probe on how DIAL was allowed by the government impose Development Fee (DF) and given large tracts of land through "illegal methods".

In a letter to Chief Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar, the MPs said "a thorough probe by the CBI on all aspects of the issue will expose the links between certain individuals and the private developer."

Referring to government's reply to a question in Rajya Sabha that DIAL had collected 1,481 crore from passengers, they said all steps must be taken immediately to get back "the amount illegally collected by DIAL and the huge wealth handed over to it through illegal methods."

Maintaining that several letters had been written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the matter, the MPs said "astonishingly, the UPA government took a stand that helped the private developer.

"Instead of recovering the money, the government came out with draft rules, tabled it in both Houses (of Parliament), enabling the private developer to collect the user fee. The government wanted to legalise the money already collected illegally from the passengers."

The signatories to the letter to the CVC -- K N Balagopal, P Karunakaran, P Rajeeve, C P Narayanan and A Sampath (all CPI-M), also demanded immediate end to collection of DF and punishment to "those who are responsible for causing loss to the exchequer."