Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) on Thursday suspended three staffers and also took action against some retired employees for their alleged involvement in a multi-crore land scam in the city.
VUDA Vice-Chairman K Sasidhar suspended Senior Assistant of Estate Wing P Ramakrishna, Assistant Planning Officer Ramateertha and Architectural Draughtsman V S S Ramalakshmi for their role in the land scam at MVP Colony.
Retired administrative officers K Karuna Kumar and V Chiranjeevi Raju, and ex-draughtsman D Punnaiah, who were also involved in the scam, will not get pension from VUDA, he said.
Sasidhar said the action against the erring staff is a message to the public that no VUDA employee will be spared for fraudulent action. Further action will be taken against them based on a report submitted by the VUDA Vice-Chairman. Sasidhar said the scam involved fraudulent allotments of land owned by VUDA.
Plots were allotted to fake beneficiaries in a land pooling project at prime areas at throwaway prices in connivance with VUDA officials, he said.
Earlier in the day, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Infrastructure, Investment and Ports Ganta Srinivas Rao said an independent agency will be asked to investigate the scam.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 16, 2012, 00:25